Mixture of essential fatty acids lowers test anxiety.
Test anxiety is an incapacitating academic syndrome. This study shows that administration of a polyunsaturated fatty acid mixture of omega-3 and -6 can improve the behavioral variables associated with this type of anxiety, i.e. appetite, mood, mental concentration, fatigue, academic organization and poor sleep, as well as lowering elevated cortisol level, with a corresponding reduction of anxiety.
Yehuda
Shlomo
S
Department of Psychology and Gonda Brain Research Center, Psychopharmacology Laboratory, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel. yehudas@mail.biu.ac.il
Rabinovitz
Sharon
S
Mostofsky
David I
DI
D000339:Affect; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001066:Appetite; D004521:Educational Measurement; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D013732:Test Anxiety Scale; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D010919:Placebos; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D006854:Hydrocortisone