Trial reportJournal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines2018
Omega-3 supplementation associated with improved parent-rated executive function in youth with mood disorders: secondary analyses of the omega 3 and therapy (OATS) trials.
Trial report in Journal of child psychology and psychiatry, and allied disciplines, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 3 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 16 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Psychoeducational Psychotherapy for Childhood Depression
Omega-3 Fatty Acids & Psychoeducational Psychotherapy for Childhood Bipolar Disorder- Not Otherwise Specified
Effect of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) on Brain Executive Function in Student Athletes
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 32 citations in OpenAlex.
- Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for depression in children and adolescents.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Nutraceuticals in Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Pooled it
- A Systematic Review of Psychobiotic Interventions in Children and Adolescents to Enhance Cognitive Functioning and Emotional Behavior.Nutrients · 2022Pooled it
- Trial
- Effects of Fish Oil Monotherapy on Depression and Prefrontal Neurochemistry in Adolescents at High Risk for Bipolar I Disorder: A 12-Week Placebo-Controlled Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Trial.Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology · 2020Trial
- Chronic starvation induces microglial cell depletion in an activity-based anorexia model.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Metacognition impairment in stroke.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- Review
- The Effectiveness of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) and Omega-3 on Food Craving, Executive Functions, Weight, and Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Depression and Overweight: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Iranian journal of psychiatry · 2024Article
- Executive functions and borderline personality features in adolescents with major depressive disorder.Frontiers in human neuroscience · 2023Article
- Article
- Mental Health in Childhood and Adolescence: The Role of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids.Biomedicines · 2021Review
- Verbal Memory Performance in Depressed Children and Adolescents: Associations with EPA but Not DHA and Depression Severity.Nutrients · 2020Article
- Toward prevention of bipolar disorder in at-risk children: Potential strategies ahead of the data.Journal of affective disorders · 2020Review
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids as a Treatment for Pediatric Depression. A Phase III, 36 Weeks, Multi-Center, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Randomized Superiority Study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2019Article
- A Systematic Review of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Consumption and Cognitive Outcomes in Neurodevelopment.American journal of lifestyle medicineReview
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundImprovements in executive functioning (EF) may lead to improved quality of life and lessened functional impairment for children with mood disorders. The aim was to assess the impact of omega-3 supplementation (Ω3) and psychoeducational psychotherapy (PEP), each alone and in combination, on EF in youth with mood disorders. We completed secondary analyses of two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of Ω3 and PEP for children with depression and bipolar disorder.
methodsNinety-five youths with depression or bipolar disorder not otherwise specified/cyclothymic disorder were randomized in 12-week RCTs. Two capsules (Ω3 or placebo) were given twice daily (1.87 g Ω3 total daily, mostly eicosapentaenoic acid). Families randomized to PEP participated in twice-weekly 50-min sessions. Analyses assess impact of interventions on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) parent-report Global Executive Composite (GEC) and two subscales, Behavior Regulation (BRI) and Metacognition (MI) Indices. Intent-to-treat repeated measures ANOVAs, using multiple imputation for missing data, included all 95 randomized participants. Trials were registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01341925 & NCT01507753.
resultsParticipants receiving Ω3 (aggregating combined and monotherapy) improved significantly more than aggregated placebo on GEC (p = .001, d = .70), BRI (p = .004, d = .49), and MI (p = .04, d = .41). Ω3 alone (d = .49) and combined with PEP (d = .67) each surpassed placebo on GEC. Moderation by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbidity was nonsignificant although those with ADHD showed nominally greater gains. PEP monotherapy had negligible effect.
conclusionsDecreased impairment in EF was associated with Ω3 supplementation in youth with mood disorders. Research examining causal associations of Ω3, EF, and mood symptoms is warranted.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.