TY  - JOUR
T1  - Long-chain ω-3 fatty acids for indicated prevention of psychotic disorders: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial
AU  - Amminger G, Schäfer MR, Papageorgiou K, et al
Y1  - 2010/02/01
N1  - 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.192
JO  - Archives of General Psychiatry
SP  - 146
EP  - 154
VL  - 67
IS  - 2
N2  - Context 
    The use of antipsychotic medication for the prevention of psychotic disorders is controversial. Long-chain ω-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may be beneficial in a range of psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia. Given that ω-3 PUFAs are generally beneficial to health and without clinically relevant adverse effects, their preventive use in psychosis merits investigation.Objective 
    To determine whether ω-3 PUFAs reduce the rate of progression to first-episode psychotic disorder in adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 25 years with subthreshold psychosis.Design 
    Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted between 2004 and 2007.Setting 
    Psychosis detection unit of a large public hospital in Vienna, Austria.Participants 
    Eighty-one individuals at ultra-high risk of psychotic disorder.Interventions 
    A 12-week intervention period of 1.2-g/d ω-3 PUFA or placebo was followed by a 40-week monitoring period; the total study period was 12 months.Main Outcome Measures 
    The primary outcome measure was transition to psychotic disorder. Secondary outcomes included symptomatic and functional changes. The ratio of ω-6 to ω-3 fatty acids in erythrocytes was used to index pretreatment vs posttreatment fatty acid composition.Results 
    Seventy-six of 81 participants (93.8%) completed the intervention. By study's end (12 months), 2 of 41 individuals (4.9%) in the ω-3 group and 11 of 40 (27.5%) in the placebo group had transitioned to psychotic disorder (P = .007). The difference between the groups in the cumulative risk of progression to full-threshold psychosis was 22.6% (95% confidence interval, 4.8-40.4). ω-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids also significantly reduced positive symptoms (P = .01), negative symptoms (P = .02), and general symptoms (P = .01) and improved functioning (P = .002) compared with placebo. The incidence of adverse effects did not differ between the treatment groups.Conclusions 
    Long-chain ω-3 PUFAs reduce the risk of progression to psychotic disorder and may offer a safe and efficacious strategy for indicated prevention in young people with subthreshold psychotic states.Trial Registration 
    clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00396643
SN  - 0003-990X
M3  - doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.192
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2009.192
ER  -