The Effect of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Cognitive Performance and Mood

• Sponsor: University of Ulm (Other)
• Overall Status: Completed
• CT.gov ID: NCT00615277
• Collaborator: Philipps University Marburg Medical Center (Other), Cognitive Drug Research Ltd (Other)
• Enrollment: 82
• Arms: 2

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The study investigates whether dietary intake of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids affects learning and mood of healthy young adults.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Healthy	Dietary Supplement: Omega-3 fatty acids	N/A

Detailed Description

The long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) of the omega-3 series and AA (arachidonic acid) of the omega-6 series are building blocks of all cell membranes and are found in high concentrations in retina and brain. Food sources of LA and ALA are vegetable oils, nuts and seeds. Since low conversion rates from ALA to DHA are a characteristic of human metabolism, adequate dietary provision with the long-chained omega-3 molecules depends primarily on individual eating habits. While AA is abundant in meat and dairy products, EPA and DHA are found in noteworthy concentrations only in certain species of fatty fish, such as salmon or mackerel.

The study investigates whether participants receiving an omega-3 supplement over a period of 4 month, perform better on a series of cognitive tests, than the participants allocated to the placebo group.

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Actual Enrollment: 82 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Official Title: The Effect of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Cognitive Performance and Mood of Healthy Young Adults
• Study Start Date: Oct 1, 2006
• Actual Primary Completion Date: Jan 1, 2007

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Active Comparator: 1 1: omega-3 fatty acid supplement	Dietary Supplement: Omega-3 fatty acids; 600 mg EPA 120mg DHA daily, 16 weeks
Placebo Comparator: 2 2: olive oil	Dietary Supplement: Omega-3 fatty acids; 600 mg EPA 120mg DHA daily, 16 weeks

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

1. Cognition [Before intervention and after 16 weeks of intervention]

Secondary Outcome Measures

1. Mood [Before intervention and after 16 weeks of intervention]

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 16 Years to 24 Years
• Sexes Eligible for Study: All
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy young adults

Exclusion Criteria:

• Coagulation disorder

Contacts and Locations

Locations

No locations specified.

Sponsors and Collaborators

• University of Ulm
• Philipps University Marburg Medical Center
• Cognitive Drug Research Ltd

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Katharina A Widenhorn-Mueller, PhD, University of Ulm
• Principal Investigator: Ulrike Weiland, MD, University of Ulm

Study Documents (Full-Text)

None provided.

More Information

Publications

None provided.

• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00615277
• Other Study ID Numbers: 213/2005; 213/2005
• First Posted: Feb 14, 2008
• Last Update Posted: Feb 14, 2008
• Last Verified: Feb 1, 2008

• Keywords provided by , ,: Young adults; Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; Cognitive function; Mood; Supply with omega-3 fatty acids

Study Results

No Results Posted as of Feb 14, 2008