TY - JOUR
T1 - Plasma levels of n-3 fatty acids in bipolar patients: deficit restricted to DHA
AU - Pomponi, Massimiliano
AU - Janiri, Luigi
AU - La Torre, Giuseppe
AU - Di Stasio, Enrico
AU - Di Nicola, Marco
AU - Mazza, Marianna
AU - Martinotti, Giovanni
AU - Bria, Pietro
AU - Lippa, Silvio
AU - Natili, Renato
AU - Pomponi, Massimo F.L.
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - Epidemiological studies suggest that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 FA) deficiency is a risk factor for bipolar disorders (BDs). The aim of this study was to determine whether such a deficit does exist in patients with BD and to characterize the overall plasma fatty acid (FA) profile in these patients. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we measured fasting plasma levels of 15 FAs in 42 patients diagnosed with BD according to DSM-IV criteria and in 57 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Plasma docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels were significantly decreased in bipolar patients (p < 0.001 versus healthy controls). Compared with controls, patients had higher plasma levels of all other FAs, including arachidonic acid (AA, p < 0.001), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, p < 0.001), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (p < 0.001). Although in the present study we observed significant DHA deficits in the plasma of bipolar patients our findings do not support the therapeutic use of ALA and/or EPA supplementation. DHA may provide a basis for possible pharmacological intervention in psychiatric disorders at the level of second messengers linked to the phosphatidylinositol cycle. Finally, measurement of FA levels in plasma seems to be more reliable and reproducible than assays of erythrocyte FA content.
AB - Epidemiological studies suggest that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 FA) deficiency is a risk factor for bipolar disorders (BDs). The aim of this study was to determine whether such a deficit does exist in patients with BD and to characterize the overall plasma fatty acid (FA) profile in these patients. Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, we measured fasting plasma levels of 15 FAs in 42 patients diagnosed with BD according to DSM-IV criteria and in 57 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Plasma docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels were significantly decreased in bipolar patients (p < 0.001 versus healthy controls). Compared with controls, patients had higher plasma levels of all other FAs, including arachidonic acid (AA, p < 0.001), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, p < 0.001), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (p < 0.001). Although in the present study we observed significant DHA deficits in the plasma of bipolar patients our findings do not support the therapeutic use of ALA and/or EPA supplementation. DHA may provide a basis for possible pharmacological intervention in psychiatric disorders at the level of second messengers linked to the phosphatidylinositol cycle. Finally, measurement of FA levels in plasma seems to be more reliable and reproducible than assays of erythrocyte FA content.
KW - fatty acids
KW - fatty acids
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/52641
U2 - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.11.004
DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.11.004
M3 - Article
SN - 0022-3956
VL - 47
SP - 337
EP - 342
JO - Journal of Psychiatric Research
JF - Journal of Psychiatric Research
ER -