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The therapeutic effect of ascorbic acid and EDTA in manic-depressive psychosis: double-blind comparisons with standard treatments

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

D. S. G. Kay
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The University, Dundee
G. J. Naylor*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The University, Dundee
A. H. W. Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The University, Dundee
C. Greenwood
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, The University, Dundee
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr G. J. Naylor, Department of Psychiatry, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY.

Synopsis

The effect of ascorbic acid and ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) in the treatment of manic-depressive psychosis was compared, using double-blind procedures, with recognized treatment regimes. There was no significant difference between the response of depressed patients to amitriptyline or ascorbic acid and EDTA. Manic patients responded significantly better to lithium than to ascorbic acid and EDTA. These results are in keeping with the suggestion that vanadium may be of aetiological importance in depressive psychosis, but do not support such a suggestion for mania.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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