F(r)ische fürs Gehirn
Eine Pilotstudie zur Wirkung von Omega-3-Fettsäuren auf kognitive, emotionale und soziale Verhaltensparameter bei Kindergartenkindern
Abstract
Metaanalysen zeigen, dass die Verabreichung von Omega-3-Fettsäuren zu einer geringfügigen Reduktion der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätssymptomatik bei Kindern führt. Für eine positive Wirkung von Omega-3 auf emotionale und kognitive Funktionen bei gesunden Kindern gibt es bisher kaum Belege. Im Rahmen dieser Studie wurde die Wirksamkeit einer Nahrungsergänzung bei 70 Kindergartenkindern im Alter von drei bis sechs Jahren überprüft. Die kognitive Leistungsfähigkeit der Kinder (z. B. das Gedächtnis) wurde getestet und das Verhalten (z. B. Hyperaktivität, Ängstlichkeit) wurde durch Eltern sowie Kindergartenpädagoginnen eingestuft. Die Kinder wurden zufällig einer Therapie- oder Wartelistengruppe zugeteilt. Die Therapiegruppe erhielt acht Wochen lang täglich 800 mg Omega-3. Danach wurde die psychologische Testung wiederholt. Die Wartegruppe erhielt das Präparat nach der zweiten Testung. Aufgrund der Nahrungsergänzung mit Omega-3 zeigte sich eine Verbesserung kognitiver Funktionen (Gedächtnis, räumliches Denken), während das sozio-emotionale Verhalten unverändert blieb. In zukünftigen Studien sollten die Effekte an größeren Stichproben, sowie mittels neurobiologischer Parameter untermauert werden.
Meta-analyses demonstrate that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids leads to a small reduction of attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms in children. However, there are only few reports on the positive effects of omega-3 supplementation on affective and cognitive functions in healthy children. In this investigation, the effectiveness of supplementation was studied in a group of 70 kindergarten children aged 3 – 6 years. The children’s cognitive performance (e. g., memory) was tested and their parents and kindergarten teachers rated social and emotional parameters (e. g., hyperactivity, anxiety). Children were randomly assigned to either a therapy or a waiting-list group. The therapy group received a daily dose of 800 mg omega-3 for 8 weeks. The diagnostic session was then repeated. The waiting-list group received the supplement after the second testing. Supplementation with omega-3 resulted in enhanced cognitive performance (memory, spatial sense), whereas socioemotional parameters remained unchanged. Future investigations should analyze the effects in bigger samples and assess neurobiological parameters.
Literatur
2007). Omega-3 fatty acids supplementation in children with autism: A double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study. Biological Psychiatry, 61, 551 – 553.
(2010). Long-chain ω-3 fatty acids for indicated prevention of psychotic disorders: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Archives of General Psychiatry, 67, 146 – 154.
(2010). Updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on depressed mood. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91, 757 – 770.
(1998). Elternfragebogen über das Verhalten von Kindern und Jugendlichen: Deutsche Bearbeitung der Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL/4 – 18). Einführung und Anleitung zur Handauswertung. Köln: Autor.
(2002). Bedeutung und empfehlenswerte Höhe der Zufuhr langkettiger Omega-3-Fettsäuren–Ein Konsensus-Statement des Arbeitskreises Omega-3. Ernährungs-Umschau, 49, 94 – 98.
(2011). Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for the treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomatology: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 50, 991 – 1000.
(2006). Omega-3 fatty acids and monoamine neurotransmission. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 75, 259 – 269.
(2008). Fish oil supplementation of control and (n-3) fatty acid-deficient male rats enhances reference and working memory performance and increases brain regional docosahexaenoic acid levels. The Journal of Nutrition, 138, 1165 – 1171.
(1995). Possible relevance of phospholipid abnormalities and genetic interactions in psychiatric disorders: the relationship between dyslexia and schizophrenia. Medical Hypotheses, 45, 605 – 613.
(2009). Omega-3/omega-6 fatty acids for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A randomized placebo-controlled trial in children and adolescents. Journal of Attention Disorders, 12, 394 – 401.
(2012). WET–Wiener Entwicklungstest: Ein Verfahren zur Erfassung des allgemeinen Entwicklungsstandes bei Kindern von 3 bis 6 Jahren (3. Aufl.). Göttingen: Hogrefe.
(2011). Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation and anxiety in medical students: A randomized controlled trial. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 25, 1725 – 1734.
(2000). AHA dietary guidelines: revision 2000: A statement for healthcare professionals from the Nutrition Committee of the American Heart Association. Circulation, 102, 2284 – 2299.
(2013). The relationship of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with learning and behavior in healthy children: A review. Nutrients, 5, 2777 – 2810.
(2005). N-3 fatty acid deficiency induced by a modified artificial rearing method leads to poorer performance in spatial learning tasks. Pediatric Research, 58, 741 – 748.
(2013). Cognitive enhancement by omega-3 fatty acids from child-hood to old age: Findings from animal and clinical studies. Neuropharmacology 64, 550 – 565.
(2009). EPA but not DHA appears to be responsible for the efficacy of omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in depression: evidence from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 28, 525 – 542.
(2010): Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation increases prefrontal cortex activation during sustained attention in healthy boys: A placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, functional magnetic resonance imaging study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 91, 1060 – 1067.
(2006). Role of omega-3 fatty acids in brain development and function: Potential implications for the pathogenesis and prevention of psychopathology. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 75, 329 – 349.
(2013). Low blood long chain omega-3 fatty acids in UK children are associated with poor cognitive performance and behavior. A cross-sectional analysis from the DOLAB study. PLoS ONE, 8(6), e66697.
(2004). Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in childhood developmental and psychiatric disorders. Lipids, 39, 1215 – 1222.
(2005). The Oxford-Durham Study: A randomized, controlled trial of dietary supplementation with fatty acids in children with developmental coordination disorder. Pediatrics, 115, 1360 – 1366.
(2002). A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids on ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, 26, 233 – 239.
(2009). A systemic review of the roles of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109, 668 – 679.
(2003). Omega-3-Fettsäuren marinen und pflanzlichen Ursprungs: Versuch einer Bilanz. Ernährungs-Umschau, 50, 296 – 306.
(2007). Effect of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids and micronutrients on learning and behavior problems associated with child ADHD. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 28, 82 – 91.
(2008). Cognitive effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: A randomised controlled trial. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 78, 311 – 326.
(1995). Essential fatty acid metabolism in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 62, 761 – 768.
(2010). Mechanisms of n-3 fatty acid-mediated development and maintenance of learning memory performance. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 21, 364 – 373.
(2001). Plasma fatty acid levels in autistic children. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 65, 1 – 7.
(2002). Normierung und Evaluation der deutschen Elternversion des Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire: Ergebnisse einer repräsentativen Felderhebung. Zeitschrift für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie, 30, 105 – 112.
(