title: Omega-3 fatty acids and anorexia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the mechanisms of action of omega-3 fatty acids and their role in the brain, as well as their therapeutic implications in anorexia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies have demonstrated that omega-3 fatty acids modulate changes in the concentrations and actions of several orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptides in the brain, including neuropeptide Y, alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone and the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine. In patients with acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, low tissue concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and high concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines are found, in association with anorexia and decreased food intake. The data suggest that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation suppresses proinflammatory cytokine production and improves food intake by normalizing hypothalamic orexigenic peptides and neurotransmitters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on current data, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation has a role in the treatment of anorexia by stimulating the production and release of orexigenic neurotransmitters in food intake regulatory nuclei in the hypothalamus.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Surgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210, USA.
authors.forename: Carolina G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: Eduardo J B
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Michael M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Meguid
mesh_terms: D000855:Anorexia / Q000178:diet therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents