Low Levels Of Cell Membrane Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA) And Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) Are Associated With Depression At Long-Term Follow-Up In The Vienna Omega-3 Study
Poster C125, Saturday, October 22, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, Le Baron
Monika Schlögelhofer1, Maximus Berger2, Miriam R. Schäfer3, Claudia M. Klier4, Patrick D. McGorry5, G. Paul Amminger5; 1Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University Vienna, Austria, 2Psychiatric Neuroscience Laboratory, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, 3ORYGEN Youth Health, Melbourne, Australia, 4Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Medical University Vienna, Austria, 5ORYGEN Youth Research Centre, University of Melbourne, Australia
Background: Mood disorders are the most common psychiatric diagnoses at long-term follow-up in young people with an at risk mental state for psychosis affecting 35-40% of individuals. Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are essential for neural development and function. As key components of brain tissue, omega-3 PUFAs play critical roles in brain development and function, and deficiencies of these fatty acids has been implicated in a number of mental health conditions over the lifespan, including psychotic and mood disorders. Method: Participants were aged 13 to 25 years at first presentation and met criteria for one or more of the three operationally defined groups of risk factors for psychosis: attenuated positive psychotic symptoms; transient psychosis; and genetic risk plus a decrease in functioning. A range of sociodemographic, erythrocyte membrane fatty acid measures, and clinical variables were determined at baseline. The Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders was used to ascertain psychiatric diagnoses. The length of follow-up was 7 years (median). Results: Of the 70 participants who completed follow-up assessments, 27 (39%; 41% males, 38% females) received a mood disorder diagnosis during the follow-up period. Lower levels of both EPA and DHA were associated with a mood disorder diagnosis. This relationship was specific to mood disorder; no association was found for psychotic disorders, anxiety disorders, substance use or other psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: Low levels of omega-3 PUFAs may intensify the vulnerability to depression in people with at risk mental state.
Topic Area: Ultra High Risk / Prodromal Research