A deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids during fetal development could later lead to emotional problems such as depression and anxiety in adulthood, finds a new study published in Nature Neuroscience.
French researchers examined mice that had deliberately been fed an imbalanced diet lacking in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
They found that a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids caused certain receptors in the brain, called cannabinoid receptors, to stop functioning as they should. The malfunction was accompanied by depressive behaviours in the mice.
The researchers concluded that there is a correlation between omega-3-poor diets and the prevalence of mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, although further studies are needed.
Omega-3 deficiencies have been common in the industrialized world since the beginning of the 20th century. The body does not produce omega-3 fatty acids, and so they must be consumed in an individual’s diet.