Selected Lipidome Components and Their Association with Perinatal Depression

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Nutritional Psychiatry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Perinatal depression affects over 20% of pregnant and postpartum women.
• Altered lipid metabolism, especially fatty acids and lecithin, is implicated in perinatal mood disorders.
• Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and lecithin are crucial for mood regulation and neurotransmitter synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evidence linking lipid metabolism alterations to perinatal depression.
• To explore the role of omega-3 PUFAs and lecithin in perinatal mood disorders.
• To assess the potential of dietary interventions for preventing perinatal depression.

Main Methods:

• A narrative review of studies from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar.
• Qualitative analysis of literature, primarily published between 2020-2025.
• Inclusion of earlier studies for theoretical background on lipid metabolism.

Main Results:

• Substantial evidence links omega-3 fatty acids and lecithin to perinatal depression.
• Omega-3 deficiency increases antenatal depression risk up to 6-fold.
• Inflammation and kynurenine pathway activation are key mechanisms modulated by PUFAs; EPA-predominant supplementation shows promise.

Conclusions:

• Omega-3 PUFA deficiency may increase perinatal depression risk; supplementation shows preventive potential.
• Evidence on lecithin and choline's role is inconclusive, with potential links to TMAO production.
• Further research is required to confirm the efficacy of lipid-based dietary interventions.