Prevention of psychotic disorders and/or treatment of psychotic symptoms
The present invention relates to methods of preventing a psychotic disorder in a subject in need of intervention including administering to the subject a composition including EPA (eicosapentanoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Methods of treating pre-psychotic symptoms in a subject, including administering to the subject a composition including EPA and DHA are also included.
1. A method of verifying that a subject is at a reduced risk of transitioning to psychosis, wherein the subject meets the UHR criteria for developing a psychotic disorder, comprising:
(i) administering to the subject a composition comprising EPA and DHA for an intervention period of 3 to 6 months; and
(ii) assessing the subject for transition to psychosis after 12 months from commencing the administration,
so as to verify the reduced risk that a subject will transition to psychosis, wherein the risk that a subject will transition to psychosis is reduced for 9 months after the treatment is ceased.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the subject is between about 13 to 25 years of age.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the EPA and DHA are present in the composition in a ratio of between 3:2 to 7:5 by weight.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the EPA and DHA are in a concentration of more than 50% by weight of total fatty acids.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered to the subject such that the subject is administered a dosage of 700 mg EPA and 480 mg DHA per day.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the psychotic disorder is schizophrenia, schizophreniform disorder, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder with psychotic features or major depression with psychotic features.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the EPA and DHA are in triglyceride form.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is administered twice daily.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises vitamin E.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is the only composition administered to reduce the risk that the subject will transition to psychosis.
11. A method of treating pre-psychotic symptoms in a subject that meets the UHR criteria for developing a psychotic disorder comprising administering to the subject a composition comprising EPA and DHA for an intervention period of 3 to 6 months; and assessing the subject's symptoms after 12 months from commencing the administration, wherein the treatment arrests the development of pre-psychotic symptoms for at least 12 months after beginning treatment and wherein risk that a subject will transition to psychosis is reduced for 9 months after the treatment is ceased.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the method prevents or delays the subject's experience of a first episode of psychosis or the development of a psychotic disorder in the subject.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the subject is between about 13 to 25 years of age.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the total quantity dose of EPA and DHA administered per day is about 1.2 g.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the risk that a subject will transition to psychosis is a reduced by at least 22.6%.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further results in reduced symptoms and improved functioning beyond the intervention period or reduces the severity of the subthreshold manifestation of psychosis for at least 12 months after beginning treatment.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composition is administered to the subject such that the subject is administered a dosage of 700 mg EPA and 480 mg DHA per day.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the total quantity dose of EPA and DHA administered per day is about 1.2 g.
19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intervention period is 6 months.
20. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the intervention period is 6 months.