People who eat a lot of seafood may be less likely to suffer from bipolar disorders, say researchers, who report that their findings support the ongoing research into the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on mental disease. Dr Joseph R. Hibbeln of the National Institutes of Health and Dr Simona Noaghiul of Columbia University, New York identified lifetime prevalence rates in various countries for bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, bipolar spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia using population-based epidemiological studies that used similar methods. The data was compared to differences in seafood consumption, using national statistics. The results show that greater seafood consumption predicted lower lifetime prevalence rates of bipolar I disorder, bipolar II disorder, and bipolar spectrum disorder. Bipolar II disorder and bipolar spectrum disorder had an apparent vulnerability threshold below 50 lb of seafood per person each year. However there was no correlation between rates of schizophrenia and seafood consumption, write the researchers in December’s issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry(160:2222-2227).
