The omega-3 fatty acids (found in fatty fish like salmon) have been associated by a University of Pittsburgh study to increased grey matter volume in areas of the brain commonly linked to mood and behaviour.

Such findings have been presented by Sarah M. Conklin, Ph.D., postdoctoral scholar at the Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine Program in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh, at the American Psychosomatic Society's Annual Meeting, held in Budapest, Hungary.

In previous studies, Dr. Conklin already found that people who had lower blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids were more likely to have a negative outlook and be more impulsive, while those with higher blood levels of omega-3s were found to be more agreeable and less likely to report mild or moderate symptoms of depression.

All of these, in their attempt to explain the mechanisms behind the improvement in mood often associated with long-chain omega-3 intake.

These findings has potential impact on people with major depressive disorders, but at the moment it is too early to tell and thus would need more study to determine if fish consumption actually causes changes in the brain.

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