Essential Fatty Acid Supplementation in Psychosis

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This study investigates the influence of Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) in first episode psychotic patients. The influence of EPA supplementation has been investigated only in neuroleptic-treated, mostly chronic patients with schizophrenia. The effect size of EPA supplementation in addition to antipsychotic treatment in these studies was approximately 20%. We suggest that the effect in early course of illness is even stronger and long-term consequences could be avoided. For ethical reasons at this point ALL patients get a standard treatment with an atypical antipsychotic (standard treatment for first episode patients at EPPIC) in a flexible dose regime. After inclusion into the study patients are randomised to two arms. One arm will be supplemented with a mineral oil (4 capsules of 0.5g) which is not absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract (placebo group). The other arm will be supplemented with purified Eicosapentanoic acid (4 capsules of 0.5g). Patients who give written informed consent will do standard clinical and neuropsychological tests (CANTAB) at baseline and after 12 weeks of supplementation (pre/post study design). A topical Niacin flush test (already approved by the research and ethics committee within following project: Psychobiology and Prevention of Transition to Psychosis 29/7/99) will also be applied at baseline and after 12weeks.

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