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1: Biol Psychiatry. 1998 Mar 1;43(5):315-9.Click here to read Links

Depletion of omega-3 fatty acid levels in red blood cell membranes of depressive patients.

Peet M, Murphy B, Shay J, Horrobin D.

University Department of Psychiatry, Sheffield, United Kingdom.

BACKGROUND: It has been hypothesized that depletion of cell membrane n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), particularly docosahexanoic acid (DHA), may be of etiological importance in depression. METHODS: We measured the fatty acid composition of phospholipid in cell membranes from red blood cells (RBC) of 15 depressive patients and 15 healthy control subjects. RESULTS: Depressive patients showed significant depletions of total n3 PUFA and particularly DHA. Incubation of RBC from control subjects with hydrogen peroxide abolished all significant differences between patients and controls. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that RBC membranes in depressive patients show evidence of oxidative damage. Possible interpretations, and implications for the etiology and treatment of depression, are discussed.

PMID: 9513745 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]