Selective deficits in erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid composition in adult patients with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.
BACKGROUND
Epidemiological and controlled intervention trials suggest that omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid deficiency represents a reversible risk factor for recurrent affective disorders. However, there is limited comparative information available regarding the n-3 fatty acid status and associated mood symptoms in medication-free patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD).


METHODS
The fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes from adult male and female healthy controls (n=20) and medication-free patients with MDD (n=20) and BD (n=20) was determined by gas chromatography. Associations with depression and mania symptom severity scores were investigated.


RESULTS
After correction for multiple comparisons, both MDD (-20%) and BD (-32%) patients exhibited significantly lower erythrocyte docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) composition relative to healthy controls, and there was a trend for lower DHA in BD patients relative to MDD patients (-15%, p=0.09). There were no gender differences for DHA in any group. Other n-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3) and docosapentanoic acid (22:5n-3), and n-6 fatty acids, including arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4n-6), were not different. Erythrocyte DHA composition was inversely correlated with indices of delta-9 desaturase activity (18:1/18:0), and associated elevations in oleic acid (18:1n-9) composition, and delta-6 desaturase activity (20:3/18:2). DHA composition was not significantly correlated with depression or mania symptom severity scores.


CONCLUSIONS
Data regarding diet and life style factors (cigarette smoking) were not available to evaluate their contribution to the present findings.


CONCLUSIONS
Male and female patients with MDD and BD exhibit selective erythrocyte DHA deficits relative to healthy controls, and this deficit was numerically greater in BD patients. Selective DHA deficits are consistent with impaired peroxisome function, which has implications for n-3 fatty acid interventions aimed at preventing or reversing this deficit.
McNamara
Robert K
RK
Department of Psychiatry, Division of Bipolar Disorders Research, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219-0516, USA. robert.mcnamara@uc.edu
Jandacek
Ronald
R
Rider
Therese
T
Tso
Patrick
P
Dwivedi
Yogesh
Y
Pandey
Ghanshyam N
GN
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors
D005227:Fatty Acids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid