High-dose eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) improves attention and vigilance in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and low endogenous EPA levels
Chang JP, Su KP, Mondelli V, Satyanarayanan SK, Yang HT, Chiang YJ, Chen HT, Pariante CM
Translational psychiatry · 63 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Randomized controlled trial (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- University or hospital
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- Government
- National Institute for Health and Care Research
- University or hospital
- King's College London
- University or hospital
- China Medical University Hospital
- Government
- Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan
- Government
- National Health Research Institutes
- University or hospital
- China Medical University
- Government
- Medical Research Council
- Government
- Division of Materials Research
- Government
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
- Grants
- Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST107-2314-B039-005); National Health Research Institutes (DMR-107-091); South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (MR/L014815/1); National Health Research Institutes (DMR-108-216); Medical Research Council (MR/L014815/1); China Medical University Hospital (CRS-106-063); National Institute for Health and Care Research (NHRI-EX105-10528NI); National Health Research Institutes (CRS-108-048); National Institute for Health and Care Research (MR/J002739/1); National Health Research Institutes (CMU108-SR-106); China Medical University Hospital (DMR-107-202); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (105-2918-I-039-001;); National Health Research Institutes (DRM-108-091); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (104-2314-B-039-022-MY2,); National Institute for Health and Care Research (MR/L014815/1); National Health Research Institutes (NHRI-EX108-10528NI); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST106-2314-B039-035); China Medical University Hospital (DMR‐107‐204); National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR200256); China Medical University (CMU108‐SR‐106); South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (MR/J002739/1); National Health Research Institutes (NHRI-EX105-10528NI); China Medical University (CRS-108-048); National Health Research Institutes (CRS-106-063); National Health Research Institutes (DMR-107-204); National Health Research Institutes (CMU106-S-33); National Institute for Health and Care Research (NF-SI-0616-10074); Medical Research Council (MR/N029488/1); National Health Research Institutes (CRS-106-063, DMR-107-202); China Medical University (DMR‐108‐216); Medical Research Council (MR/J002739/1); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST106-2314-B038-049); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (CMU108-SR-106); National Health Research Institutes (DRM-107-097); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST 108-); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST103-2923-B039-002-MY3); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST108-2320-B039-048); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST106-2314-B039-027-MY3); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST108-2314-B039-016); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (NHRI-EX108-10528NI); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST104-2314-B039-050-MY3); Medical Research Council (MR/J002739/1); National Health Research Institutes (DMR-107-202); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST103-2320-B039-036); Medical Research Council (MR/L014815/1); Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (MOST106-2314-B039-031)
Based on 10 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2019-11-20 · Transl Psychiatry · vol. 9 · issue 1 · p. 303
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Cited
- 88 citations · more than 99% of similar papers · 15.2× the field average
- Impact
- Top 10% most cited in its field
- References
- 49 works
- Access
- Open access (journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Birth, Development, and Health · Diet and metabolism studies · Fatty Acid Research and Health
- Keywords
- Placebo, Eicosapentaenoic acid, Impulsivity, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Polyunsaturated fatty acid, Vigilance (psychology), Internal medicine, Psychology, Medicine, Psychiatry, Fatty acid, Biochemistry, Chemistry
- MeSH
- humans, eicosapentaenoic acid, treatment outcome, double-blind method, cognition, attention, attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, adolescent, child, taiwan, female, male
8 authors
From GB, TW
- Jane Pei‐Chen ChangKing's College London; China Medical University; China Medical University Hospital
- Kuan‐Pin Su · correspondingKing's College London; China Medical University; China Medical University Hospital
- Valeria MondelliKing's College London
- Senthil Kumaran SatyanarayananChina Medical University; China Medical University Hospital
- Hui-Ting YangTaipei Medical University
- Yi-Ju ChiangChina Medical University; China Medical University Hospital
Abstract
No studies have examined the relationship between endogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) levels and treatment response to PUFAs. We conducted a 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing the effects of high-dose eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 1.2 g) and placebo on cognitive function (continuous performance test) in n = 92 youth (age 6-18-years-old) with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Blood erythrocytes PUFAs were measured before and after treatment, to examine the effects of baseline endogenous EPA levels on treatment response and the effects of EPA treatment on PUFAs levels. Secondary measures included other ADHD symptoms, emotional symptoms, and levels of plasma high-sensitivity c-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Overall, EPA group improved more than placebo group on focused attention (variability, Effect size (ES) = 0.38, p = 0.041); moreover, within youth with the lowest baseline endogenous EPA levels, EPA group improved more than placebo group in another measure of focused attention (hit reaction time, HRT, ES = 0.89, p = 0.015) and in vigilance (HRT interstimulus interval changes, HRTISIC, ES = 0.83, p = 0.036). Interestingly, EPA group improved less than placebo group in impulsivity (commission errors), both overall and in youth with the highest baseline EPA levels, who also showed less improvement in other ADHD and emotional symptoms. EPA increased blood erythrocytes EPA by 1.6-fold but not DHA levels, and did not affect hs-CRP and BDNF plasma levels. In conclusion, EPA treatment improves cognitive symptoms in ADHD youth, especially if they have a low baseline endogenous EPA level, while youth with high EPA levels may be negatively affected by this treatment.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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