N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor Symptoms
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...
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doaj-4f34ee03e73f46839955e9c7fe66db952020-11-25T00:22:40ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1422-00672018-06-01197184910.3390/ijms19071849ijms19071849N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor SymptomsValentina Ciappolino0Alessandra Mazzocchi1Paolo Enrico2Marie-Louise Syrén3Giuseppe Delvecchio4Carlo Agostoni5Paolo Brambilla6Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, ItalyPediatric Intermediate Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, ItalyPediatric Intermediate Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, ItalyPediatric Intermediate Care Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, ItalyDepression 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.http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/7/1849menopausal transitionperimenopauseomega-3n-3 LCPUFAsEPADHAhot flashesdepressioncognitionaffective disorders |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Valentina Ciappolino Alessandra Mazzocchi Paolo Enrico Marie-Louise Syrén Giuseppe Delvecchio Carlo Agostoni Paolo Brambilla |
spellingShingle |
Valentina Ciappolino Alessandra Mazzocchi Paolo Enrico Marie-Louise Syrén Giuseppe Delvecchio Carlo Agostoni Paolo Brambilla N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor Symptoms International Journal of Molecular Sciences menopausal transition perimenopause omega-3 n-3 LCPUFAs EPA DHA hot flashes depression cognition affective disorders |
author_facet |
Valentina Ciappolino Alessandra Mazzocchi Paolo Enrico Marie-Louise Syrén Giuseppe Delvecchio Carlo Agostoni Paolo Brambilla |
author_sort |
Valentina Ciappolino |
title |
N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor Symptoms |
title_short |
N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor Symptoms |
title_full |
N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor Symptoms |
title_fullStr |
N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor Symptoms |
title_full_unstemmed |
N-3 Polyunsatured Fatty Acids in Menopausal Transition: A Systematic Review of Depressive and Cognitive Disorders with Accompanying Vasomotor Symptoms |
title_sort |
n-3 polyunsatured fatty acids in menopausal transition: a systematic review of depressive and cognitive disorders with accompanying vasomotor symptoms |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
issn |
1422-0067 |
publishDate |
2018-06-01 |
description |
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. |
topic |
menopausal transition perimenopause omega-3 n-3 LCPUFAs EPA DHA hot flashes depression cognition affective disorders |
url |
http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/7/1849 |
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