Altered serum fatty acid composition in geriatric depression.

Fatty acids (FA), mainly polyunsaturated (PUFA) of n-3 or n-6 types, may influence neuropsychobiological processes. Decreased levels of n-3 PUFA have been shown to be related to major depression and supplementation of n-3 PUFA seems to contribute to improved depression treatment outcome. The profiles of serum FA profiles in patients with geriatric depression have not been thoroughly studied yet.