Introduction. Treatment of mental disorders includes a wide range of natural substances with different mechanisms of action. Omega-3 fatty acids are part of this group of substanc-es and could have therapeutic potential. For these reasons, they are frequently used as mon-otherapy or complementary therapy in mental disorders.
The objective of the study was to explore the use of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and the postpartum period in patients with mental disorders, including schizophrenia and depressive disorders, focusing on their safety and effectiveness based on evidence-based tools.
Materials and methods. We utilized MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases according to keywords up to 2024. Published results of clinical trials and meta-analyses based on clinical trials were included in the paper. Additionally, one meta-analysis based on cohort studies was included. The evaluation also considered the mental and physi-cal comorbidities identified. The search language was English, while Google Scholar was used for Russian language sources.
Results. Out of 11 meta-analyses and systematic reviews, 6 showed beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids on mental and physical health, of which 5 indicated no significant dif-ferences but displayed signs of efficacy and favorable trends. Of the 9 clinical trials, 6 showed positive results, 1 revealed a moderate inverse correlation between plasma omega-3 fatty acid concentrations and depressive symptoms, and 2 yielded negative results.
Conclusions. Omega-3 fatty acids could have beneficial therapeutic potential as an alterna-tive or adjuvant therapy for mental disorders.
Keywords: mental disorders, depression, pregnancy, postpartum, omega-3 fatty acids.
Full text sources https://doi.org/10.31688/ABMU.2024.59.2.07
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Igor NASTAS
Department of mental health, medical psychology and psychotherapy, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
E-mail: igor.nastas@usmf.md, Phone: +37367133770