Most test subjects were already on some kind of medicine. But eight subjects either couldn't tolerate drug side effects or hadn't found a medicine that worked. Not a single recurrence. Another facet of the study that had many scientists scratching their heads was the marked decrease in depression within the omega 3 group. Lithium and Depakote prevent mania but they're not so good at treating depression.
Depression happens most often, lasts longer and is more disabling, triggering higher suicide rates.
That's a good question. One of the first antidepressants ever discovered was designed for treating tuberculosis. The consensus is that omega 3 is incorporated into cell membranes, making them more fluid. Every cell membrane has a layer of fat around it. Receptors stick out of the cell.