A plasma protein profile of antidepressant response to omega-3 fatty acids
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest an antidepressant effect of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs). This effect may be larger in patients with low-grade inflammation, defined as mild elevations of high sensitivity C-reactive protein or other commonly used inflammatory markers. The antidepressant mechanisms of n-3 PUFAs are not fully understood but may involve modulation of immunometabolic processes and neurotrophic effects. Here we investigated inflammatory and cardiometabolic biomarkers in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and controls, how these biomarkers change with n-3 PUFA treatment, and their association with antidepressant response.
METHODS: Ninety-four MDD patients were treated with 2.2 g eicosapentaenoic acid, 400 mg docosahexaenoic acid, and 800 mg other omega-3 fatty acids per day, added to stable antidepressant treatment for 8 weeks. Inflammatory and cardiometabolic plasma markers were assayed in MDD patients, before and after n-3 PUFA treatment, and in healthy controls (n = 76) using proximity extension assay technology. Treatment response was defined as ≥50 % reduction on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Partial least squares discriminant analysis identified plasma proteins with differential levels between patients, controls, responders, and non-responders.
RESULTS: After adjusting for relevant covariates and multiple comparisons, baseline levels of several biomarkers associated with immunometabolic functions and neurotrophic processes…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Promising Sources of Plant-Derived Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Narrative Review
- Effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake in patients with chronic kidney disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Effect of omega-3 fatty acids on cognition: an updated systematic review of randomized clinical trials
- The role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: A narrative review
- Paucity of evidence for a relationship between long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review
- Omega-3 fatty acid nanocarriers: Characterization and potential applications
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.