Lower docosahexaenoic acid concentrations in the postmortem prefrontal cortex of adult depressed suicide victims compared with controls without cardiovascular disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A growing body of evidence suggests that deficits in long-chain omega-3 (LCn-3) fatty acids may contribute to major depressive disorder (MDD) and principal causes of excess mortality including suicide and cardiovascular disease. In the present study we compared concentrations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3), the principal LCn-3 fatty acid in brain, in the postmortem prefrontal cortex (BA10) of adult depressed suicide victims and controls with and/or without cardiovascular disease.

Methods

DHA concentrations (μmol/g) in the prefrontal cortex (PFC, BA10) of adult male and female suicide victims (n = 20) and controls with (n = 8) or without (n = 12) cardiovascular disease were determined by gas chromatography.

Results

There was a non-significant trend f

SUBMITTER: McNamara RK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3710518 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature