Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Youths with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials and Biological Studies

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

The role of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 or n-3 PUFAs) in the pathogenesis and treatment of children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is unclear. A systematic review followed by meta-analysis was conducted on: 1) randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of n-3 PUFAs on clinical symptoms and cognition in children and adolescent with ADHD; and 2) case-control studies assessing the levels of n-3 PUFAs in blood and buccal tissues of children and adolescents with ADHD. In seven RCTs, totalling n=534 randomised youth with ADHD, n-3 PUFAs supplementation improves ADHD clinical symptom scores ( g=.38, p<.0001); and in three RCTs, totalling n=214 randomised youth with ADHD, n-3 PUFAs supplementation improves cognitive measures associated with attention ( g=1.09, p=.001). Moreover, children and adolescents with ADHD have lower levels of DHA (seven studies, n=412, g=-.76, p=.0002), EPA (seven studies, n=468, g=-.38, p=.0008), and total n-3 PUFAs (six studies, n=396, g=-.58, p=.0001). In summary, there is evidence that n-3 PUFAs supplementation monotherapy improves clinical symptoms and cognitive performances in children and adolescents with ADHD, and that these youth have a deficiency in n-3 PUFAs levels. Our findings provide further support to the rationale for using n-3 PUFAs as a treatment option for ADHD.

Related collections

Most cited references 55

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Nonpharmacological interventions for ADHD: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of dietary and psychological treatments.

Edmund Sonuga‐Barke, Daniel Brandeis, Samuele Cortese … (2013)

Nonpharmacological treatments are available for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), although their efficacy remains uncertain. The authors undertook meta-analyses of the efficacy of dietary (restricted elimination diets, artificial food color exclusions, and free fatty acid supplementation) and psychological (cognitive training, neurofeedback, and behavioral interventions) ADHD treatments. Using a common systematic search and a rigorous coding and data extraction strategy across domains, the authors searched electronic databases to identify published randomized controlled trials that involved individuals who were diagnosed with ADHD (or who met a validated cutoff on a recognized rating scale) and that included an ADHD outcome. Fifty-four of the 2,904 nonduplicate screened records were included in the analyses. Two different analyses were performed. When the outcome measure was based on ADHD assessments by raters closest to the therapeutic setting, all dietary (standardized mean differences=0.21-0.48) and psychological (standardized mean differences=0.40-0.64) treatments produced statistically significant effects. However, when the best probably blinded assessment was employed, effects remained significant for free fatty acid supplementation (standardized mean difference=0.16) and artificial food color exclusion (standardized mean difference=0.42) but were substantially attenuated to nonsignificant levels for other treatments. Free fatty acid supplementation produced small but significant reductions in ADHD symptoms even with probably blinded assessments, although the clinical significance of these effects remains to be determined. Artificial food color exclusion produced larger effects but often in individuals selected for food sensitivities. Better evidence for efficacy from blinded assessments is required for behavioral interventions, neurofeedback, cognitive training, and restricted elimination diets before they can be supported as treatments for core ADHD symptoms.

0 comments Cited 355 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Record: found
Abstract: not found
Article: not found

A 14-Month Randomized Clinical Trial of Treatment Strategies for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

(1999)

0 comments Cited 321 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study.

Joseph Hibbeln, John M Davis, Colin D. Steer … (2007)

Seafood is the predominant source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for optimum neural development. However, in the USA, women are advised to limit their seafood intake during pregnancy to 340 g per week. We used the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) to assess the possible benefits and hazards to a child's development of different levels of maternal seafood intake during pregnancy. 11,875 pregnant women completed a food frequency questionnaire assessing seafood consumption at 32 weeks' gestation. Multivariable logistic regression models including 28 potential confounders assessing social disadvantage, perinatal, and dietary items were used to compare developmental, behavioural, and cognitive outcomes of the children from age 6 months to 8 years in women consuming none, some (1-340 g per week), and >340 g per week. After adjustment, maternal seafood intake during pregnancy of less than 340 g per week was associated with increased risk of their children being in the lowest quartile for verbal intelligence quotient (IQ) (no seafood consumption, odds ratio [OR] 1.48, 95% CI 1.16-1.90; some, 1.09, 0.92-1.29; overall trend, p=0.004), compared with mothers who consumed more than 340 g per week. Low maternal seafood intake was also associated with increased risk of suboptimum outcomes for prosocial behaviour, fine motor, communication, and social development scores. For each outcome measure, the lower the intake of seafood during pregnancy, the higher the risk of suboptimum developmental outcome. Maternal seafood consumption of less than 340 g per week in pregnancy did not protect children from adverse outcomes; rather, we recorded beneficial effects on child development with maternal seafood intakes of more than 340 g per week, suggesting that advice to limit seafood consumption could actually be detrimental. These results show that risks from the loss of nutrients were greater than the risks of harm from exposure to trace contaminants in 340 g seafood eaten weekly.

0 comments Cited 237 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

All references

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-journal-id): 8904907

Journal ID (pubmed-jr-id): 1376

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Neuropsychopharmacology

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Neuropsychopharmacology

Title: Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

ISSN (Print): 0893-133X

ISSN (Electronic): 1740-634X

Publication date Nihms-submitted: 27 July 2017

Publication date (Electronic): 25 July 2017

Publication date (Print): February 2018

Publication date PMC-release: 25 January 2018

Volume: 43

Issue: 3

Pages: 534-545

Affiliations

[a ]Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK

[b ]Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

[c ]College of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan

[d ]Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Author notes

[* ]Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to: Dr. Jane Pei-Chen Chang, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, G.33.72, The Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Cutcombe Road, London, SE5 9RT, United Kingdom, Telephone: 020 7848 0531, Fax: 020 7848 5408, peko80@ 123456gmail.com

Article

Manuscript ID: EMS73458

DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.160

PMC ID: 5669464

PubMed ID: 28741625

SO-VID: c492a1db-54f9-48c3-8099-a19769c3fec5

License:

Users may view, print, copy, and download text and data-mine the content in such documents, for the purposes of academic research, subject always to the full Conditions of use: http://www.nature.com/authors/editorial_policies/license.html#terms

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Youths with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Clinical Trials and Biological Studies

Read this article at

Abstract

Related collections

Karger: Endocrinology

Most cited references 55

Nonpharmacological interventions for ADHD: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials of dietary and psychological treatments.

A 14-Month Randomized Clinical Trial of Treatment Strategies for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study.

Author and article information

Journal

Affiliations

Author notes

Article

History

Categories

Comments

Comment on this article

Similar content 235

Cited by 75

Most referenced authors 871