This article briefly describes the improvements that one 11-year old boy with autism experienced when taking the omega-3 fatty acid EPA.

It is already known that EPA, an omega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA), has been useful in treating depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. In this case study, the authors test whether EPA could help improve the symptoms of autism. This childâ??s more serious symptoms included tantrums, aggression, depression, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts. After gradually increasing the dosage over four weeks, he received 540 mg of EPA daily for 8 more weeks. His parents and his clinician observed improved behavior, including the elimination of anxiety and agitation and overall improvement in his quality of life. These improvements continued throughout the study. The authors conclude that there should be more research on the use of omega-3 EFAs to treat autism.