Effects of Omega-3 in the treatment of violent schizophrenia patients
Schizophrenia Research, online 19 August 2017, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2017.08.026
Yi Qiao1, Yi Mei1, Huiqin Han, FengJu Liu, Xiao Min Yang, Yang Shao, Bin Xie, , Bin Long,
Objective: This study was designed to explore the relationship in between the daily consumption of fish oil (360 mg DHA + 540 mg EPA), and reduction of symptoms and violent behavior among patients with schizophrenia.
Method: Fifty inpatients meeting ICD-10 criteria for schizophrenia and scoring more than four of Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) with antipsychotics treatment were randomly assigned to receive either fish oil (N = 28) or a placebo (N = 22) in a twelve week, double-blind supplementation trial. Assessments were performed at baseline and at weeks 4, 8 and 12.
Results: The PANSS and CGI scores decreased at the week of 4, 8 and 12, but no differences were found between the two groups. MOAS scores declined significantly at weeks 4, 8 and 12. At week 12, MOAS scores of the fish oil group declined significantly than the placebo group (t = − 2.40, P < 0.05).
Conclusions: violent schizophrenia patients treated with fish oil (360 mg DHA + 540 mg EPA) demonstrated a decrease in violence, but improvement in positive and negative symptoms was no greater than patients treated with the placebo after twelve weeks.