Effects ofomega-3 fatty acid in the treatment of major depressive disorder: a review
Abstract
The increased prevalence of depression in western countries has been accompanied by parallel increase of cardiovascular diseases and changes in eating habits, with an imbalance of consumption of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Recently, new therapeutic indications have been proposed for omega-3, such as the treatment of certain forms of mental illness, including depressive disorders. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current knowledge about the biological mechanisms of action of omega-3 in the prevention or treatment of major depressive disorder. The method adopted for the preparation of this review was based on a literature review of articles published in the international scientific research database sites such as Pubmed. The results presented in this review showed that there is an inverse association between the intake of omega-3 and prevalence of depression. Studies show that omega-3 acts as anti-inflammatory and improves the serotonergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission. However, there is significant need for further long-term studies to clarify the therapeutic dose and efficacy of omega-3 as monotherapy or adjunct for the treatment of major depressive disorder.
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