Verbal Memory Performance in Depressed Children and Adolescents: Associations with EPA but Not DHA and Depression Severity.
- Emery S Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Häberling I Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Berger G Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Baumgartner N Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Strumberger M Research Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
- Albermann M Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Nalani K Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychiatry, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Schmeck K Research Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
- Erb S Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services St. Gallen, 9004 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
- Bachmann S Department of Psychiatry, University Hospitals of Geneva, 1226 Thônex, Switzerland.
- Wöckel L Research Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatric University Hospitals Basel, University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.
- Müller-Knapp U Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Klinik Sonnenhof, 9608 Ganterschwil, Switzerland.
- Contin-Waldvogel B Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services Baselland, 4410 Liestal, Switzerland.
- Rhiner B Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Services Thurgau, 8570 Weinfelden, Switzerland.
- Walitza S Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Hersberger M Center for Integrative Human Physiology Zurich, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
- Drechsler R Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
- 2020-12-01
Published in:
- Nutrients. - 2020
DHA
EPA
adolescents
children
cognition
depression
depression severity
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid
verbal memory
English
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have been described as positively associated with cognitive functioning. Current meta-analyses have identified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) as potentially more effective than docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). An especially vulnerable subgroup that might benefit from these beneficial effects are depressed youths. In this study, we examined associations between red blood cell (RBC) DHA and EPA levels and depression severity and verbal memory performance in a sample of 107 moderately (n = 63) and severely (n = 44) depressed youths. The findings showed that youths with high RBC EPA levels had steeper learning curves compared to those with moderate or low RBC EPA levels (Pillai's Trace = 0.195, p = 0.027, ηp2 = 0.097). No associations between RBC DHA levels or depression severity and verbal memory performance were observed. Our results further confirm previous findings indicating a more important role of EPA compared to DHA in relation to cognitive functioning. Future research should further investigate the differential role of EPA and DHA concerning cognitive functioning in depressed youths. Evidence supporting beneficial supplementation effects could potentially establish a recommendation for a natural and easily accessible intervention for cognitive improvement or remission.
- Language
-
- English
- Open access status
- gold
- Identifiers
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- DOI 10.3390/nu12123630
- PMID 33255819
- Persistent URL
- https://sonar.ch/global/documents/145495
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