Can a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids help control stress and combat depression?

An answer may lie in the connection between Omega-3 and inflammation.
Researchers with Ohio State University have looked at these issues, and one of their observations is centered around the typical off-balance diet most us us have.
What’s off balance is the amount of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids we consume. It is generally felt that we need to maintain a 4-to-1 or a 2-to-1 ration of Omega-6 to Omega-3. The typical ratio found in most diets is 20-1.
Scientists have isolated two ingredients of Omega-6 fatty acids which are problematic. These ingredients are called cytokines.
Cytokines are proteins which deal, among other things, with the responsiveness of the body’s immune system
Specifically, the problematic cytokines in Omega-6 have been identified as IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Eeach may be responsible for increasing inflammation in the body, which can cause a number of widespread problems.
One of the problems stemming from insufficient Omega-3 and too much Omega-6 may be depression. Team member Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, an Ohio State University Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, explains:
“The data suggest that higher depression and a poorer diet in terms of Omega-3 can work together to promote inflammation. Other researchers have shown that clinically depressed people — those with more severe depression — often have lower Omega-3 levels in their blood, and several studies have shown that supplementing diets with Omega-3 improves depression.”
Sources:
The Ohio State University
Psychosomatic Medicine