A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid in the Treatment of Major Depression

• Published in: The American journal of psychiatry Vol. 160; no. 5; pp. 996 - 998
• Main Authors: Marangell, Lauren B., Martinez, James M., Zboyan, Holly A., Kertz, Barbara, Kim, H. Florence Seung, Puryear, Lucy J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Psychiatric Publishing 01-05-2003; American Psychiatric Association
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - drug therapy; Depressive Disorder - psychology; Docosahexaenoic Acids - therapeutic use; Double-Blind Method; Fatty acids; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mental depression; Middle Aged; Neuropharmacology; Outcome Assessment (Health Care); Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Placebos; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Treatment Outcome; Mood disorder; Human; Psychotropic; Treatment efficiency; Social adjustment; Depression; Docosahexaenoic acid; n-3 fatty acid; Symptomatology; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Follow up study; Antidepressant agent; Evolution; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0002-953X; 1535-7228
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.160.5.996

OBJECTIVE: This study was an evaluation of the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) for the treatment of major depression. METHOD: Thirty-six depressed patients were randomly assigned to receive DHA, 2 g day, or placebo for 6 weeks. Response was defined a priori as a ≥50% reduction in the score on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale. Thirty-five participants were evaluable; 18 received DHA, and 17 received placebo. RESULTS: Response rates were 27.8% in the DHA group and 23.5% in the placebo group. The difference in response rates between groups did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: This trial failed to show a significant effect of DHA monotherapy in subjects with major depression.