[Neurophysiological and psychopharmacological effects of eiconol--a complex of unsaturated fatty acids]

The effect of omega-3 polyunsturated fatty acids on the psychophysiological state of an operator was studied and mechanisms of the drug action were analyzed based on the EEG data. Changes in the psychophysiological and hemodynamic characteristics, EEG, and catecholamine excretion after a 30-day administration of eiconol--a complex of unsaturated fatty acids--in a daily dose of 8 g were studied in a group of 16 middle-aged healthy male operators. It was established that eiconol decreases systolic arterial pressure, reduces adrenalin excretion with urine, imparts the sense of well-being, improves the parameters of activity and the attention stability and concentration, and decreases the level of static tremor. The drug reduces basic anxiety level and motivation to the operator performance, but at the expense of some decrease in the sensomotor coordination. By the pattern of EEG profile changes, including an increase in the theta (5-7 Hz) and beta (15-28 Hz) bands and a decrease in the delta (0.8-2.0 Hz) band, eiconol resembles psychotropic agents of the adrenoblocking and GABA-ergic types, especially benzodiazepine activators.