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High omega-6 and low omega-3 fatty acids are associated with depressive symptoms and neuroticism.

Conklin SM, Manuck SB, Yao JK, Flory JD, Hibbeln JR, Muldoon MF

Department of Psychology, Allegheny College, 520 North Main Street, Meadville, PA 16335-3902, USA. Sarah.Conklin@allegheny.edu

OBJECTIVE: To examine the concentrations of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum obtained from nonpatient community volunteers not selected for hypercholesterolemia. Previously we reported that the relative concentrations of omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in serum covary with depressive symptomatology and neuroticism in hypercholesterolemic adults. METHODS: A total of 116 adults without current Axis I psychopathology completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the NEO Personality Inventory--Revised (NEO-PI-R). Fasting serum phospholipid eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA) were determined (% of total pool). RESULTS: Higher AA and AA:EPA ratio, adjusted for age, gender, and race, were associated with greater depressive symptomatology (BDI score of >or=10). Lower EPA, and higher AA, AA:EPA ratio and AA:DHA ratio were associated with greater NEO-PI-R Neuroticism. The six Neuroticism subscales were each associated with two or more fatty acid measurements. CONCLUSIONS: In conjunction with other reports, these findings suggest that the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are related to negative affect at both the symptom and trait levels.

Published 27 November 2007 in Psychosom Med, 69(9): 932-4.
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