Omega-3 status and cerebrospinal fluid corticotrophin releasing hormone in perpetrators of domestic violence

• Published in: Biological psychiatry (1969) Vol. 56; no. 11; pp. 895 - 897
• Main Authors: Hibbeln, Joseph R., Bissette, Garth, Umhau, John C., George, David T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Corticotrophin releasing hormone; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - blood; Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone - cerebrospinal fluid; Crime Victims; docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - blood; Docosahexaenoic Acids - cerebrospinal fluid; Domestic Violence; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - blood; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - cerebrospinal fluid; Humans; Medical sciences; omega-3 fatty acids; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Regression (Psychology); Social behavior disorders. Criminal behavior. Delinquency; stress; violence; stress; omega-3 fatty acids; Corticotrophin releasing hormone; docosahexaenoic acid; violence; Human; Affect affectivity; Violence; Peptide hormone; Corticotropin releasing factor; Couple; Lipids; Cerebrospinal fluid; Fatty acids; Hypothalamic hormone; Anxiety; Prostaglandin E; Hormone releasing factor
• ISSN: 0006-3223; 1873-2402
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2004.08.021

Elevated levels of corticotrophin-releasing hormone in the cortical-hippocampal-amygdala pathway increase fear and anxiety, which are components of defensive and violent behaviors. Prostaglandins E 2 and F 2α, which increase corticotrophin-releasing hormone RNA expression in this pathway, are reduced by dietary intakes of omega-3 fats. Among 21 perpetrators of domestic violence, cerebrospinal fluid and plasma were assessed for corticotrophin-releasing hormone and fatty acid compositions, respectively. Lower plasma docosahexaenoic acid (wt% fatty acids) alone predicted greater cerebrospinal fluid corticotrophin-releasing hormone (pg/mL), in exponential (r = -.67, p < .006) and linear regressions (r = -0.68, p < .003 excluding four subjects with the highest docosahexaenate levels). In this small observational study, low plasma docosahexaenoic acid levels were correlated to higher cerebrospinal fluid corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels. Placebo controlled trials can determine if dietary omega-3 fatty acids can reduce excessive corticotrophin-releasing hormone levels in psychiatric illnesses.