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Effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on cognitive functioning in youth at ultra-high risk for psychosis: secondary analysis of the NEURAPRO randomised controlled trial

Version 2 2024-06-19, 15:32
Version 1 2023-02-10, 02:49
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-19, 15:32 authored by N Cheng, A Mclaverty, B Nelson, C Markulev, MR Schäfer, M Berger, N Mossaheb, M Schlögelhofer, S Smesny, IB Hickie, GE Berger, EYH Chen, L De Haan, DH Nieman, M Nordentoft, A Riecher-Rössler, S Verma, R Street, A Thompson, HP Yuen, R Hester, Alison YungAlison Yung, PD Mcgorry, K Allott, GP Amminger
Background Cognitive impairments are well-established features of psychotic disorders and are present when individuals are at ultra-high risk for psychosis. However, few interventions target cognitive functioning in this population. Aims To investigate whether omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n−3 PUFA) supplementation improves cognitive functioning among individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis. Method Data (N = 225) from an international, multi-site, randomised controlled trial (NEURAPRO) were analysed. Participants were given omega-3 supplementation (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) or placebo over 6 months. Cognitive functioning was assessed with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Mixed two-way analyses of variance were computed to compare the change in cognitive performance between omega-3 supplementation and placebo over 6 months. An additional biomarker analysis explored whether change in erythrocyte n−3 PUFA levels predicted change in cognitive performance. Results The placebo group showed a modest greater improvement over time than the omega-3 supplementation group for motor speed (ηp2 = 0.09) and BACS composite score (ηp2 = 0.21). After repeating the analyses without individuals who transitioned, motor speed was no longer significant (ηp2 = 0.02), but the composite score remained significant (ηp2 = 0.02). Change in erythrocyte n-3 PUFA levels did not predict change in cognitive performance over 6 months. Conclusions We found no evidence to support the use of omega-3 supplementation to improve cognitive functioning in ultra-high risk individuals. The biomarker analysis suggests that this finding is unlikely to be attributed to poor adherence or consumption of non-trial n−3 PUFAs.

History

Journal

BJPsych Open

Volume

8

Article number

PII S2056472422005725

Location

England

ISSN

2056-4724

eISSN

2056-4724

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

5

Publisher

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS