title: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of ω-3 fatty acids in Tourette's disorder.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Clinical observations have suggested therapeutic effects for ω-3 fatty acids (O3FA) in Tourette's disorder (TD), but no randomized, controlled trials have been reported. In a placebo-controlled trial, we examined the efficacy of O3FA in children and adolescents with TD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three children and adolescents (ages 6-18) with TD were randomly assigned, double-blind, to O3FA or placebo for 20 weeks. O3FA consisted of combined eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. Placebo was olive oil. Groups were compared by using (1) intent-to-treat design, with the last-observation-carried-forward controlling for baseline measures and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder via (a) logistic regression, comparing percentage of responders on the primary Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS)-Tic and secondary (YGTSS-Global and YGTSS-Impairment) outcome measures and (b) analysis of covariance; and (2) longitudinal mixed-effects models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At end point, subjects treated with O3FA did not have significantly higher response rates or lower mean scores on the YGTSS-Tic (53% vs 38%; 15.6 ± 1.6 vs 17.1 ± 1.6, P > .1). However, significantly more subjects on O3FA were considered responders on the YGTSS-Global measure (53% vs 31%, P = .05) and YGTSS-Impairment measure (59% vs 25%, P < .05), and mean YGTSS-Global scores were significantly lower in the O3FA-treated group than in the placebo group (31.7 ± 2.9 vs 40.9 ± 3.0, P = .04). Obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were not significantly affected by O3FA. Longitudinal analysis did not yield group differences on any of the measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  O3FA did not reduce tic scores, but it may be beneficial in reduction of tic-related impairment for some children and adolescents with TD. Limitations include the small sample and the possible therapeutic effects of olive oil.
authors.affiliation: NYU Child Study Center, NYU School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA. vgabbay@nki.rfmh.org
authors.forename: Vilma
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gabbay
authors.forename: James S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Babb
authors.forename: Rachel G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Aviva M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Panzer
authors.forename: Yisrael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Petkova
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Barbara J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Coffey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020323:Tics / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils