Omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio and subsequent mood disorders in young people with at-risk mental states: A 7-year longitudinal study

ME Berger; S Smesny; SW Kim; CG Davey; S Rice; Z Sarnyai; M Schlögelhofer; MR Schäfer; M Berk; PD McGorry; GP Amminger

Journal article

Omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio and subsequent mood disorders in young people with at-risk mental states: A 7-year longitudinal study

ME Berger, S Smesny, SW Kim, CG Davey, S Rice, Z Sarnyai, M Schlögelhofer, MR Schäfer, M Berk, PD McGorry, GP Amminger

Translational Psychiatry | NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2017

DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.190

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Abstract

While cross-sectional studies suggest that patients with mood disorders have a higher ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and lower levels of omega-3 PUFAs, it is unknown if a high n-6/3 ratio indicates vulnerability for depression. We tested this hypothesis in a 7-year follow-up study of young individuals with an ultra-high risk (UHR) phenotype. We conducted a secondary analysis of the Vienna omega-3 study, a longitudinal study of omega-3 PUFAs in individuals at UHR for psychosis (n = 69). Levels of n-6 and n-3 PUFAs were measured in the phosphatidylethanolamine fraction of erythrocyte membranes at intake into the study. Mood disorder diagnosis was ascertained wi..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Maximus Berger Author

Chris Davey Author

Simon Rice Author

Michael Berk Author

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Grants

Awarded by James Cook University

Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Grant 03T-315 from the Stanley Medical Research Institute. MEB is supported by a JCU postgraduate research scholarship. SWK is supported by the Korean Mental Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HM15C114). CGD is supported by an NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (1061757). GPA was supported by National Health and Medical Research Council Australia (NHMRC) Senior Research Fellowship 1080963. PDM was supported by NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship 1060996. MB is supported by a NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship 1059660. SR is supported by an Early Career Fellowship from the Society for Mental Health Research. The study sponsor had no role in the design or reporting of this study. We thank Dr Jessica Hartmann for assistance and our participants for their commitment to this study.