The study, reported by the APA’s PsycPort, found a marked improvement in symptoms associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

According to this brief report — which notably did not include full details of the study’s design:

A pre-trial assessment of the students at Greenfield Community Arts College in Newton Aycliffe showed that 94% had moderate or severe ADHD. The students also had an inattention scale rating of 94% and a severe impulsivity rating of 89%.

After taking blended fish oil supplements for just three months there were significant improvements. Severe ADHD reduced to 28% as did severe impulsivity, and severe inattention fell to just 17% among the students.

Dr Madeleine Portwood, Durham local authority’s senior educational psychologist and lead researcher on the trials, welcomed the results, saying: “These trials were undertaken with a group of potentially vulnerable students with persistent behavioural difficulties and who were at risk of exclusion.”

“By taking the fatty acid supplement, those aspects of their behaviour which put them at risk of exclusion improved dramatically.

“With permanent school exclusions nationally having risen by 19% since 1999/2000, 68% of them among the 12-14 year old age group, our most recent trials suggest a clear route to improvement.”

So maybe there is something to the hypothesized fatty acid/fish oil – ADHD connection after all?