Abstract
Objective: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association of fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte membrane phospholipid with depressive symptoms among the elderly.
Methods: Subjects were 37 females aged 65 and over (the mean ages were 81.1) living almost independently in the home for the aged. Fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte membrane phospholipid were analyzed by gasliquid chromatography. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The subjects, whose GDS-scores were 11 or higher, were regarded as having depressive symptoms (depression (+)). Fatty acid compositions were compared between depression (+) and depression (-) by t-test.
Results: C20:5n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA) of plasma and erythrocyte membrane phospholipid was significantly lower in depression (+) group than in depression (-) group. The ratio of C20:4n-6 (arachidonic acid, AA) to EPA of plasma and erythrocyte membrane phospholipid was significantly higher in depression (+) group than in depression (-) group (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The results suggested that low proportion of plasma and erythrocyte membrane n-3PUFA may have some relationship with depressive symptoms.
