new research on essential fatty acids and ADHD

I just received my ezine from Dr. Jacqueline Stordy, author of “The LCP [longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids] Solution: The Remarkable Nutritional Treatment for ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.” She reported on new research which continues to substantiate the link between the dietary need for essential fatty acids, brain development, and learning disabilities. Here’s the blurb:

“A recently published study provides further evidence of the benefits of LCP supplementation in children with learning disorders. The study, which appeared in “Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry”, was conducted by Alex Richardson of Oxford University and Basant Puri of the Imperial College School of Medicine at London’s Hammersmith Hospital.
In their study, forty-one children, aged eight to twelve years, with both specific learning difficulties (mostly dyslexia) and above-average ADHD ratings, were either given Efalex or a placebo for a twelve-week period. This was a randomized, double-blind trial so the researchers did not know which children received the dummy capsule or the real thing.
At the beginning and end of the study a range of behavioral and learning problems was assessed using standardized parent rating scales. There was no difference between the two groups at the beginning of the trial. But after twelve weeks the children receiving Efalex showed significant improvements. This group scored significantly lower on general behavior problems, and significant improvement in the anxious /shy and cognitive problems subscale.
The researchers commented: “Under double-blind conditions, supplementation was found to be significantly better than placebo in reducing a wide range of ADHD-related symptoms in children with specific learning difficulties.” In encouraging larger trials the researchers encouraged specific investigation of the value of the omega-3 fatty acid EPA. The supplement they used was said to contain 480 mg of DHA and 186 mg of EPA.”