Plasma levels of n-3 fatty acids in bipolar patients: deficit restricted to DHA

Massimiliano Pomponi, Luigi Janiri, Giuseppe La Torre, Enrico Di Stasio, Marco Di Nicola, Marianna Mazza, Giovanni Martinotti, Pietro Bria, Silvio Lippa, Renato Natili, Massimo F.L. Pomponi

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo in rivistaArticolo in rivista

19 Citazioni (Scopus)

Abstract

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.
Lingua originaleEnglish
pagine (da-a)337-342
Numero di pagine6
RivistaJournal of Psychiatric Research
Volume47
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2013

Keywords

  • fatty acids

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