Depression is one of the most important health problems worldwide. Women are 2.5 times more likely to experience major depression than men. Evidence suggests that some women might experience an increased risk for developing depression during “windows of vulnerability”, i.e., when exposed to intense hormone fluctuations, such as the menopause transition. Indeed, this period is associated with different symptoms, including vasomotor, depressive, and cognitive symptoms, which have all been shown to worsen as women approach menopause. Even though hormonal therapy represents the most effective treatment, side effects have been reported by several studies. Therefore, an increased number of women might prefer the use of alternative medicine for treating menopausal symptoms. N-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) are included among these alternative treatments. We here provide a review of studies investigating the effects of n-3 LCPUFAs on hot flashes and depressive and cognitive disorders in menopausal women. The reported results are scattered and heterogeneous. In conclusion, a beneficial role of n-3 LCPUFAs in hot flashes, and depressive and cognitive symptoms related to menopausal transition is still far from conclusive.

N-3 polyunsatured fatty acids in menopausal transition: A systematic review of depressive and cognitive disorders with accompanying vasomotor symptoms / V. Ciappolino, A. Mazzocchi, P. Enrico, M. Syrén, G. Delvecchio, C. Agostoni, P. Brambilla. - In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES. - ISSN 1661-6596. - 19:7(2018 Jul), pp. 1849.1-1849.14. [10.3390/ijms19071849]

N-3 polyunsatured fatty acids in menopausal transition: A systematic review of depressive and cognitive disorders with accompanying vasomotor symptoms

A. Mazzocchi
Secondo
;
P. Enrico;M. Syrén;G. Delvecchio;C. Agostoni
Penultimo
;
P. Brambilla
Ultimo
2018

Abstract

Depression is one of the most important health problems worldwide. Women are 2.5 times more likely to experience major depression than men. Evidence suggests that some women might experience an increased risk for developing depression during “windows of vulnerability”, i.e., when exposed to intense hormone fluctuations, such as the menopause transition. Indeed, this period is associated with different symptoms, including vasomotor, depressive, and cognitive symptoms, which have all been shown to worsen as women approach menopause. Even though hormonal therapy represents the most effective treatment, side effects have been reported by several studies. Therefore, an increased number of women might prefer the use of alternative medicine for treating menopausal symptoms. N-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) are included among these alternative treatments. We here provide a review of studies investigating the effects of n-3 LCPUFAs on hot flashes and depressive and cognitive disorders in menopausal women. The reported results are scattered and heterogeneous. In conclusion, a beneficial role of n-3 LCPUFAs in hot flashes, and depressive and cognitive symptoms related to menopausal transition is still far from conclusive.
menopausal transition; perimenopause; omega-3; n-3 LCPUFAs; EPA; DHA; hot flashes; depression; cognition; affective disorders Affective disorders; DHA; EPA; Hot flashes; N-3 LCPUFAs; Omega-3; perimenopause; catalysis; molecular biology; spectroscopy; computer science applications1707 computer vision and pattern recognition; physical and theoretical chemistry; organic chemistry; inorganic chemistry
Settore MED/38 - Pediatria Generale e Specialistica
Settore MED/25 - Psichiatria
lug-2018
giu-2018
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/585834
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