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Omega-3 fatty acids are inversely related to callous and unemotional traits in adolescent boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

2013; Elsevier BV; Volume: 88; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.plefa.2013.03.009

1532-2823

Rachel V. Gow, Frédéric Vallée‐Tourangeau, M. A. Crawford, Eric Taylor, Kebreab Ghebremeskel, Allain Amador Bueno, Joseph R. Hibbeln, Alexander Sumich, Katya Rubia,

Child Abuse and Trauma

A number of research studies have reported abnormal plasma fatty acid profiles in children with ADHD along with some benefit of n−3 to symptoms of ADHD. However, it is currently unclear whether (lower) long chain-polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) are related to ADHD pathology or to associated behaviours. The aim of this study was to test whether (1) ADHD children have abnormal plasma LC-PUFA levels and (2) ADHD symptoms and associated behaviours are correlated with LC-PUFA levels. Seventy-two, male children with (n=29) and without a clinical diagnosis of ADHD (n=43) were compared in their plasma levels of LC-PUFA. Plasma DHA was higher in the control group prior to statistical correction. Callous–unemotional (CU) traits were found to be significantly negatively related to both eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and total omega-3 in the ADHD group. The findings unveil for the first time that CU and anti-social traits in ADHD are associated with lower omega-3 levels.