Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci Vol 45 No. 1 (2008) 19–25 Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Treatment of Schizophrenia Malcolm Peet, MB, ChB, FRCPsych Swallownest Court Hospital, Sheffield, Great Britain. Abstract: Most studies have shown reduced levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid, in the cell membranes of red blood cells from schizophrenic patients. This has led to research in- terest in the possible therapeutic benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in schizophrenia. There is evidence from double-blind placebo-controlled trials that omega-3 fatty acids might prevent conversion from a prodromal state into first episode psychosis, and reduce the antipsychotic drug requirement in first episode patients. Results in chronic and acutely re- lapsing schizophrenia have been mixed. The problems associated with single nutrient studies are discussed. Nutrients are normally ingested in complex combinations, and they interact with each other in their normal metabolic and phys- iological functions. It is likely that optimal nutritional treatment will involve complex combinations of nutrients, pref- erably as part of a healthy balanced diet rather than by using supplements. However, such approaches have been little evaluated in mental health. Introduction D-linolenic acid (18:3n-3) The phospholipid hypothesis of schizophrenia, orig- inally developed by David Horrobin and his col- leagues (1, 2), proposed that a variety of mental '-6-Desaturase health problems could result from abnormalities of Elongase the phospholipid structure of neuronal membranes. '-5-Desaturase Since polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are major structural components of cell membrane Eicosapentaenoic acid phospholipid, a great deal of research interest has (20:5n-3) been focussed on the possible role of these fatty acids in mental health. This review will focus on the avail- able evidence relating to the role of omega-3 fatty Elongase acids in schizophrenia. Elongase '-6-Desaturase The Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Tetrahexaenoic acid (24:6n-3) Omega-3 fatty acids are primarily obtained from di- Acyl coenzyme-A desaturase etary sources. An outline of the metabolism of E-oxidation omega-3 fatty acids is shown in Figure 1. The parent of this class of fatty acids is A-linolenic acid (ALA). This fatty acid cannot be synthesized by humans, so it is termed an essential fatty acid. The omega-3 fatty acids which have been investigated most in relation to mental health are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) Figure 1. An outline Docosahexaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Although these of the metabolic (22:6n-3) pathway for omega-3 fatty acids can be synthesized from ALA, the meta- fatty acids. Address for Correspondence: Address for correspondence: Malcolm Peet, MB, ChB, FRCPsych, Swallownest Court Hos- pital, Sheffield, S26 4TH, Great Britain. E-mail: [email protected] 20 OMEGA-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA bolic pathway is not very efficient (3) so that in prac- However, a recent study found no reduction of either tice most EPA and DHA comes from dietary sources, DHA or AA in large groups of unmedicated schizo- particularly fish. phrenic patients from India and from Malaysia (9). DHA is a major omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty Therefore, reduced RBC levels of DHA are not a nec- acid in the phospholipid of neuronal cell membranes essary or inevitable association with schizophrenia (4). EPA, in contrast, is not present in neuronal cell but perhaps may modify the presentation and course membranes. Because of this, DHA and EPA have dif- of the illness. ferent physiological effects on neuronal function. Thus, there is good evidence that changing the DHA content of neuronal cell membranes can alter densi- Omega-3 PUFA in the Treatment of ties of dopamine, serotonin and muscarinic recep- Schizophrenia tors in brain (5). EPA can affect neuronal function An early open-label study of omega-3 PUFA in because it is an important precursor of eicosanoids schizophrenia reported significant improvement in and modulator of cytokines which have neurotrans- both schizophrenic symptoms and tardive dyskinesia mitter and neuromodulatory effects (6). Omega-3 (TD) (14). These beneficial effects were confirmed fattyacidscanalsomodifytheexpressionofgenes, in early double blind placebo controlled trials (15). including several genes which are important for There was also an indication from these early studies brain function (7). It has been shown that maternal that EPA was more effective than DHA, and as a re- omega-3 fatty acid deficiency leads to long term over sult subsequent studies have focussed on EPA. expression of dopamine receptor genes in the off- The results of all double blind placebo controlled spring (8). studies of omega-3 fatty acids treatment in schizo- phreniaaresummarizedinTable1.Ithasbeendi- videdintostudiesincludingyoungpeopleatultra- Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Schizophrenia high risk of developing psychosis, those who have It has been shown repeatedly that schizophrenic pa- developed a first episode of psychosis, and those pa- tients have reduced cell membrane levels of polyun- tients who have established chronic schizophrenia. saturated fatty acids, particularly DHA and The only placebo controlled trial in ultra-high risk arachidonic acid (AA) (9). Most studies were con- subjects provided evidence that an EPA rich omega- ducted on cell membranes from red blood cells 3 preparation can reduce the risk of these subjects (RBC). RBC membrane levels of PUFA are regarded developing overt psychosis (16). Two studies have as a reflection of brain levels; it has been shown that been conducted in first episode patients. In the first the two correlate significantly in adult humans (10). study (15) EPA enriched oil or corn oil placebo was Some of the early studies may have been confounded given to unmedicated patients for three months. The by extraneous factors. For example, there is evidence primary outcome measure was whether or not the that smoking leads to reduced levels of PUFA in RBC patients required treatment with antipsychotic membranes and it is well known that a higher pro- drugs. All 12 patients on placebo, but only eight out portion of schizophrenic patients smoke relative to of 14 on EPA, required these drugs during the three the general population (11). Also, there is a tendency months study period. The patients in this study were for RBC membrane levels of DHA and AA to dimin- older than a usual first episode group (mean 33 ish during storage, and this happens more rapidly in years) and the duration of psychosis averaged samples from schizophrenic patients than in those around six years. Some had been treated previously. from healthy controls (12), possibly because the Therefore, this was not a representative first episode blood of schizophrenic patients is under increased group. A recent study (17) used EPA or placebo as an oxidative stress. Because of that, samples need to be add-on to existing treatment with risperidone. Al- stored at -80°C rather than the standard -20°C (13). though the primary analysis based on symptom rat- Some recent studies, taking account of these con- ings showed no difference between EPA or placebo founders, have still reported low levels of DHA and treated patients, secondary analysis showed that the AA in RBC membranes from schizophrenic patients. EPA treated patients were on a lower dose of MALCOLM PEET 21 risperidone by the end of the study. Thus, both these showing that EPA alone led to a significantly worse studies can be interpreted as showing an outcome than placebo treatment. In all of these antipsychotic-sparing effect of omega-3 fatty acid studies, EPA rich oil was given in addition to existing treatment. Studies in chronic schizophrenia have antipsychotic medication. In the study by Bentsen given much more mixed results, with three studies (18), the apparently detrimental effect of the EPA reporting benefits from EPA enriched oil in either was reversed when antioxidant medication was the primary or secondary analysis of data, two given in addition. One study (19) showed a marked studies showing no benefit from EPA over placebo, benefit for EPA treatment in the subgroup of patients and one study in acutely relapsing schizophrenia whowerealreadybeingtreatedwithclozapine. Table 1. Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Studies of Omega-3 PUFA in Schizophrenia Authors Study Design Primary analysis Secondary analysis High Risk Amminger & Schafer (16) Mono; EPA rich oil vs pla- EPA™>™placebo cebo First Episode Peet et al. (15) Mono; 2g: EPA vs placebo EPA™>™placebo for anti- psychotic drug requirement Berger et al. (17) Add-on; 2g: EPA vs placebo EPA™=™placebo EPA™>™placebo for antipsychotic dose Chronic Schizophrenia Peet et al. (15) Add-on; 2g: EPA vs DHA vs EPA™>™placebo EPA™>™DHA placebo Fenton et al. (20) Add-on; 3g: EPA vs placebo EPA™=™placebo Peet & Horrobin (19) Add-on; 1, 2 & 4g: EPA vs EPA™=™placebo EPA(2g)™>™placebo in placebo clozapine subgroup Emsley et al. (21) Add-on; 3g: EPA vs placebo EPA™>™placebo Bentsen (18) Add-on; 2g: EPA vs antioxi- EPA™<™placebo EPA™+™antioxidants dants vs combination vs pla- =™placebo cebo Emsley et al. (22) Add-on; 2g: EPA vs placebo N/A EPA™=™placebo (Primary analysis for effect on tardive dyskinesia) Explanation of abbreviations: Add-on is the addition of omega-3 PUFA to current antipsychotic medication; mono is sin- gle therapy with omega-3 fatty acids. Primary analysis is the statistical analysis for the hypothesized main effect; secondary analysis relates to secondary hypotheses or post-hoc statistical analysis. 22 OMEGA-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA The Problem of Single Nutrient Studies of DHA and other PUFA (32), and there is evidence that vitamin E supplementation can increase RBC When treating schizophrenia, psychiatrists are ac- membrane levels of DHA and other PUFA (33). customed to the idea that it is better to use a single The possible importance for mental health of drug rather than polypharmacy.