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Folate deficiency, biopterin and monoamine metabolism in depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

T. Bottiglieri ,
K. Hyland ,
M. Laundy ,
P. Godfrey ,
M. W. P. Carney ,
B. K. Toone  and
E. H. Reynolds
T. Bottiglieri
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, London; Department of Psychiatry and Haematology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex; Institute of Child Health, London
K. Hyland
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, London; Department of Psychiatry and Haematology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex; Institute of Child Health, London
M. Laundy
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, London; Department of Psychiatry and Haematology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex; Institute of Child Health, London
P. Godfrey
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, London; Department of Psychiatry and Haematology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex; Institute of Child Health, London
M. W. P. Carney
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, London; Department of Psychiatry and Haematology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex; Institute of Child Health, London
B. K. Toone
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, London; Department of Psychiatry and Haematology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex; Institute of Child Health, London
E. H. Reynolds*
Affiliation:
Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, London; Department of Psychiatry and Haematology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex; Institute of Child Health, London
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr E. H. Reynolds, Department of Neurology, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London SE5 9RS.
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Synopsis

Seven (21%) of 34 patients with a severe DSM-III diagnosis of major depression had red-cell folate levels below 150 ng/ml. This subgroup with folate deficiency had significantly lower CSF 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) compared to neurological controls. For all depressed patients red-cell folate was significantly correlated with CSF 5HIAA and homovanillic acid (HVA). CSF tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) was significantly correlated with CSF 5HIAA and HVA and red-cell folate. Our observations provide further evidence of the links between folate, biopterin and monoamine metabolism in depression.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , November 1992 , pp. 871 - 876
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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References

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