Evidence Report/Technology Assessment
Number 116
Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Mental Health
Prepared for:
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
540 Gaither Road
Rockville, MD 20850
www.ahrq.gov
Contract No. 290-02-0021
Prepared by:
University of Ottawa Evidence-based Practice Center at
The University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
Investigators
Howard M Schachter, PhD
Kader Kourad, MD, PhD
Zul Merali, PhD
Andrew Lumb, BA
Khai Tran, PhD
Maia Miguelez, PhD
Gabriela Lewin, MD
Margaret Sampson, MLIS
Nick Barrowman, PhD
Hope Senechal, BSc
Candice McGahern, HRA
Li Zhang, BSc
Andra Morrison, BSc
Jakov Shlik MD, PhD
Yi Pan, MSc
Elizabeth C Lowcock, BScH
Isabelle Gaboury, MSc
Jacques Bradwejn, MD
Anne Duffy, MD
AHRQ Publication No. 05-E022-2
July 2005
This report is based on research conducted by the University of Ottawa Evidence-based
Practice Center (EPC), under contract to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
(AHRQ), Rockville, MD (Contract No. 290-02-0021). The findings and conclusions in this
document are those of the authors, who are responsible for its contents; the findings and
conclusions do not necessarily represent the views of AHRQ. Therefore, no statement in this
report should be construed as an official position of AHRQ or of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
The information in this report is intended to help health care decisionmakers, patients and
clinicians, health system leaders, and policymakers make well-informed decisions and thereby
improve the quality of health care services. This report is not intended to be a substitute for
the application of clinical judgment. Anyone who makes decisions concerning the provision
of clinical care should consider this report as they would any medical reference and in
conjunction with all other pertinent information, i.e., in the context of available resources and
circum