A study examined if polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA – Omegas 3,6 & 9) and multivitamins/minerals (MVM) affected cognition in children with ADHD. Children were divided into three groups: one group had PUFA plus MVM, one group had just PUFA, and one group had neither. After 15 weeks, they were then all given the PUFA plus MVM treatment for another 15 weeks.
After 15 weeks, children in the PUFA group had improved scores on a test of switching and controlling attention compared to children in the control group. Once the control group started 15 weeks of the PUFA and MVM treatment, their scores on the test also improved. However, there were no significant improvements on other cognitive measures regardless of the treatment, and MVM treatment did not appear to improve attention scores.
Sinn, N, Bryan, J., & Wilson, C. (2008). Cognitive effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms: A randomised controlled trial. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids 78 (4-5), p. 311-326.
(I’d have a link to the abstract here, but my blog writing program is in Time Out for inappropriate behavior. I tried posting the link 5 times.)
