Table 1. Research evidence regarding the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on schizophrenia.
| References | Study design | Treatment | Main findings |
|---|---|---|---|
| [74] | Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study with 30 new or relapsed schizophrenic patients with no medication | 2 g/day of EPA for 3 mo | • Lower PANSS scores |
| [79] | Randomized placebo-controlled, dose-ranging study, 45 outpatients with persistent schizophrenic symptoms and meeting DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, prescribed with antipsychotics (clozapine, typical and atypical drugs) | 1, 2, and 4 g/day of E-EPA for 12 wk | • Improve PANSS scores, positive/negative/general symptoms, and MADRS scores |
| • Positive relationship between rating scales and EPA, DHA, and AA levels in red blood cell membrane | |||
| [78] | Randomized double blind placebo-controlled trial with 87 patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder with residual symptoms | 3 g/day of E-EPA for 16 wk | • No differences between groups |
| [76] | Randomized, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, fixed-dose, add-on study with 40 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV criteria | 3 g/day of E-EPA supplementation for 12 wk | • Reduce PANSS scores |
| [77] | Randomized placebo-controlled parallel group add-on, one-center trial with 82 patients with first episode schizophrenia according to ICD-10 | 2.2 g/day of n-3 PUFAs for 26 wk | • Decline in severity of symptoms and relapse |
| [75] | Randomized placebo-controlled trial, 80 patients with both schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome, received olanzapine only for a long period | Fish oil containing 720 mg EPA and 480 mg DHA for 12 wk | • Reduce TG levels |
| • Decrease plasma TNF-α levels | |||
| • Significant correlation between declines in TNF-α and decreases in TG |
DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; DSM, The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; E-EPA, ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid; ICD-10, the 10th revision of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems; MADRS, Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale; PANSS, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; PUFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; TG, triglyceride; TNF, tumor necrosis factor.