The Role of L-Methylfolate in Depressive Disorders

CNS Spectrums

Volumn 14, Issue S2, 2009, Pages 2-7

  Farah, Andrew ^a  

^a High Point Regional Health System   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ANTIDEPRESSANT AGENT; FOLIC ACID; VITAMIN B COMPLEX;

ADULT; BLOOD; CASE REPORT; DRUG COMBINATION; FEMALE; HUMAN; MAJOR DEPRESSION; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; REVIEW;

ADULT; ANTIDEPRESSIVE AGENTS; DEPRESSIVE DISORDER, MAJOR; DRUG THERAPY, COMBINATION; FEMALE; FOLIC ACID; HUMANS; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; VITAMIN B COMPLEX;

EID: 62449271516     PISSN: 10928529     EISSN: 21656509     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/S1092852900003473     Document Type: Article

References (72)

1. Depression Guideline Panel. Clinical Practice Guideline Number 5: Depression in Primary Care Volume 1: Detection and Diagnosis. Rockville, Md: HHS; 1993. AHCR publication 93–0550.
2. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1994.
3. Keller, MB, Boland, RJ. Implications of failing to achieve successful long-term maintenance treatment of recurrent unipolar major depression. Biol Psychiatry. 1998; 44(5):348–360.
4. Carney, RM, Saunders, RD, Freedland, KE, et al. Association of depression with reduced heart rate variability in coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol. 1995; 76(8):562–564
5. Stein, PK, Carney, RM, Freedland, KE, et al. Severe depression is associated with markedly reduced heart rate variability in patients with stable coronary heart disease. J Psychosom Res. 2000; 48(4–5):493–500.
6. Penninx, BW, Beekman, AT, Honig, A, et al. Depression and cardiac mortality: results from a community-based longitudinal study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001; 58(3):221–227.
7. Frasure-Smith, N, Lésperance, F, Talajic, M. Depression following myocardial infarction: impact on 6-month survival. JAMA. 1993; 270(15):1819–1825.
8. Bush, DE, Ziegelstein, RC, Tayback, M, et al. Even minimal symptoms of depression increase mortality risk after acute myocardial infarction. Am J Cardiol. 2001; 88(4):337–341.
9. Lésperance, F, Frasure-Smith, N, Talajic, M, Bourassa, MG. Five-year risk of cardiac mortality in relation to initial severity and one-year changes in depression symptoms after myocardial infarction. Circulation. 2002; 105(9):1049–1053.
10. Fishbain, DA, Cutler, R, Rosomoff, HL, Rosomoff, RS. Chronic pain-associated depression: antecedent or consequence of pain? a review. Clin J Pain. 1997; 13(2)116–137.
11. Egede, LE, Zheng, D, Simpson, K. Comorbid depression is associated with increased health care use and expenditures in individuals with diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2002; 25(3):464–470.
12. Fava, M, Rush, AJ, Trivedi, MH, et al. Background and rationale for the Sequenced treatment alternatives to relieve depression (STAR*D) study. Psych Clin North Amer. 2003; 26(2):457–494.
13. Alpert, M, Silva, RR, Pouget, ER. Prediction of treatment response in geriatric depression from baseline folate level: interaction with an SSRI or a tricyclic antidepressant. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2003; 23(3):309–313.
14. Bottigleri, T. Homocysteine and folate metabolism in depression. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005; 29(7):1103–1112
15. Papakostas, GI, Iosifescu, DV, Renshaw, PF, et al. Brain MRI white matter hyperintensities and one-carbon cycle metabolism in non-geriatric outpatients with major depressive disorder (Part II). Psychiatry Res. 2005; 140(3):301–307.
16. Levitt, AJ, Joffe, RT. Folate, B12, and life course of depressive illness. Biol Psychiatry. 1989; 25(7):867–872.
17. Alpert, JE, Fava, M. Nutrition and depression: the role of folate. Nutr Rev. 1997; 55(5):145–149.
18. Wesson, VA, Levitt, AJ, Joffe, RT. Change in folate status with antidepressant treatment. Psychiatry Res. 1994; 53(3):313–122.
19. Coppen, A, Bolander-Gouaille, C. Treatment of depression: time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12. J Psychopharmacol. 2005; 19(1):59–65.
20. Abou-Saleh, MT, Coppen, A. Serum and red blood cell folate in depression. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 1989; 80(1):78–82.
21. Botto, LD, Yang, Q. 5,10-methylenetetrahydofolate reductase gene variants and congenital anomalies: a HuGE review. Am J Epidemiol. 2000; 151(9):862–877.
22. Bailey, LB, Gregory, JF 3rd. Polymorphisms of MTHFR and other enzymes: metabolic significance, risks and impact on folate requirement. J Nutr. 1999; 129(5):919–922.
23. Bjelland, I, Tell, GS, Vollset, SE, et al. Folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and the MTHFR 677C->T polymorphism in anxiety and depression: the Hordaland Homocysteine Study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003; 60(6):618–626.
24. Arinami, T, Yamada, N, Yamakawa-Kobayashi, K, et al. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase variant and schizophrenia/depression. Am J Med Genet. 1997; 74(5):526–528.
25. Procopciuc, LM, Jebeleanu, GH, Fodoreanu, L, Crisan, C, et al. C677T MTHFR Polymorphism and Psychiatric Diseases Schizophrenia-like Psychosis and Depression in Romanian Patients. In: 60th Annual Meeting of the Society of Biological Psychiatry. May 19–21, 2005, Atlanta, Georgia. Poster P86.
26. Kelly, CB, McDonnell, AP, Johnston, TG, et al. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism is associated with depressive episodes in patients from Northern Ireland. J Psychopharmacol. 2004; 18(4):567–571.
27. Paykel, ES, Ramana, R, Cooper, Z, et al. Residual symptoms after remission: an important outcome in depression. Psychol Med. 1995; 25(6):1171–1180.
28. Judd, LL, Akiskal, HS, Maser, JD, et al. A prospective 12-year study of subsyndromal and syndromal depressive symptoms in unipolar major depressive disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998; 55(8):694–700.
29. Judd, LL, Akiskal, HS, Zeller, PJ, et al. Psychosocial disability during the long-term course of unipolar major depressive disorder. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000; 57(4):375–380.
30. McGrath, PJ, Stewart, JW, Fava, M, et al. Tranylcypromine versus venlafaxine plus mirtazapine following three failed antidepressant medication trials for depression: a STAR*D report. Am J Psychiatry. 2006; 163(9):1531–1541.
31. Rush, AJ, Trivedi, MH, Wisniewski, SR, et al. Acute and longer-term outcomes in depressed outpatients requiring one or several treatment steps: a STAR*D report. Am J Psychiatry. 2006; 163(11):1905–1917.
32. Nierenberg, AA, Fava, M, Trivedi, MH, et al. A comparison of lithium and T(3) augmentation following two failed medication treatments for depression: a STAR*D report. Am J Psychiatry. 2006; 163(9):1519–1530.
33. Trivedi, MH, Fava, M, Marangell, LB, et al. Use of treatment algorithms for depression. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006; 67(9):1458–1465.
34. Trivedi, MH, Fava, M, Wisniewski, SR, et al. Medication augmentation after the failure of SSRIs for depression. N Engl J Med. 2006; 354(12):1243–1252.
35. Trivedi, MH, Rush, AJ, Wisniewski, SR, et al. Evaluation of outcomes with citalopram for depression using measurement-based care in STAR*D: implications for clinical practice. Am J Psychiatry. 2006; 163(1):28–40.
36. Morris, MS, Fava, M, Jacques, PF, et al. Depression and folate status in the US Population. Psychother Psychosom. 2003; 72(2):80–87.
37. Obeid, R, Kostopoulos, P, Knapp, JP, et al. Biomarkers of folate and vitamin B12 are related in blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Clin Chem. 2007; 53(2):326–333.
38. Alpert, JE, Fava, M. Nutrition and depression: the role of folate. Nutr Rev. 1997; 55(5):145–149.
39. Coppen, A, Swade, C, Jones, SA, et al. Depression and tetrahydrobiopterin: the folate connection. J Affect Disord. 1989; 16(2–3):103–107
40. Abou-Saleh, MT, Coppen, A. The biology of folate in depression: implications for nutritional hypotheses of the psychoses. J Psychiatr Res. 1986; 20(2):91–101.
41. Papakostas, GI, Petersen, T, Mischoulon, D, et al. Serum folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in major depressive disorder, Part 1: predictors of clinical response in fluoxetine-resistant depression. J Clin Psych. 2004; 65: 1090–1095.
42. Papakostas, GI, Petersen, T, Mischoulon, D, et al. Serum folate, vitamin B12, and homocysteine in major depressive disorder, Part 2: predictors of relapse during the continuation phase of pharmacotherapy. J Clin Psych. 2004; 65: 1096–1098.
43. Gilbody, S, Lewis, S, Lightfoot, T. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genetic polymorphism and psychiatric disorders: a HuGE review. Am J Epidemiology. 2007; 165: 1–13.
44. Coppen, A, Bailey, J. Enhancement of the antidepressant action of fluoxetine by folic acid: a ramdomised placebo controlled trial. J Affect Disord. 2000; 60: 121–130.
45. Coppen, A, Chaudhry, C, Swade, C. Folic acid enhances lithium prophylaxis. J Affect Disord. 1986; 10: 9–13.
46. Carney, NW, Chary, TK, Laundy, M, et al. Red cell folate concentrations in psychiatric patients. J Affect Disord. 1990; 19: 207–213
47. Reynolds, EH, Preece, JM, Bailey, J, Coppen, A. Folate deficiency in depressive illness. Br J Psychiatry. 1970; 117: 287–292.
48. Alpert, M, Silva, RR, Pouget, ER. Prediction of treatment response in geriatric depression from baseline folate level: interaction with an SSRI or a tricyclic antidepressant. J Clin Psychopharmacology. 2003; 23(3):309–13.
49. Stahl, SM. Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Applications. 3rd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press; 2008: 625–632
50. Stahl, SM. Novel therapies for depression: l-methylfolate as a trimonoamine modulator and antidepressant agent. CNS Spectr. 2007; 12; 739–744.
51. Bolander-Gouaille, C, Bottiglieri, T. Clinical impact of enzyme defects. Homocysteine Related Vitamins and Neuropsychiatric Disorders. New York, NY; Springer: 2004; 151–162.
52. Tan, EC, Chong, SA, Lim, LC, et al. Genetic analysis of thermolabile methylenetertrahydrofoalte reductase variant in schizophrenia and mood disorders. Psychiatr Genet. 2004; 14: 227–231.
53. Bjelland, I, Tell, GS, Vollset, SE, et al. Folate, vitamin B12, homocysteine, and the MTHFR 677C->T polymorphism in anxiety and depression: the Hordaland Homocysteine Study. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2003; 60(6):618–626.
54. Arinami, T, Yamada, N, Yamakawa-Kobayashi, K, et al. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase variant and schizophrenia/depression. Am J Med Genet. 1997; 74: 526–528.
55. Hickie, I, Scott, E, Naismith, S, et al. Late-onset depression: genetic vascular and clinical contributions. Psychol Med. 2001: 31; 1403–1412.
56. Kunugi, H, Fukuda, R, Hattori, M, et al. C677T polymorphism in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene and psychosis variant. Mol Psychiatry. 1998; 3: 435–437.
57. Reif, A, Pfuhlmann, B, Lesch, KP. Homocysteine as well as methylenetertrahydrofoalte reductase polymorphism are associated with affective psychosis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2005; 29: 1162–1168.
58. Zintzaras, E. C677T and A1298C methylenetertrahydrofoalte reductase gene polymorphism in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression: a meta-anylsis of genetic association studies. Psych Genet. 2006 7; 16: 105–115.
59. Godfrey, PS, Toone, BK, Carney, MW, et al. Enhancement of recovery from psychiatric illness by methylfolate. Lancet. 1990; 336(8712):392–395.
60. Passeri, M, Cucinotta, D, Abate, G, et al. Oral 5'-methyltetrahydrofolic acid in senile organic mental disorders with depression: results of a double-blind multicenter study. Aging (Milano). 1993; 5(1):63–71.
61. Guaraldi, GP, Fava, M, Mazzi, F, la Greca, P. An open trial of methyltetrahydrofolate in elderly depressed patients. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1993; 5: 101–105.
62. Di Palma, C, Urani, R, Agricola, R, et al. Is methylfolate effective in relieving major depression in chronic alcoholics? A hypothesis of treatment. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp. 1994; 55(5):559–568.
63. Alpert, JE, Mischoulon, D, Rubenstein, GE, et al. Folinic acid as an adjunctive treatment for SSRI-refractory depression. Ann Clin Psych. 2002: 14: 33–38.
64. Yang, QH, Botto, LD, Gallagher, M, et al. Prevalence and effects of gene-gene and gene-nutrient interactions on serum folate and serum total homocysteine concentrations in the US: findings from the third national health and nutrition examination survey DNA bank. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008; 88(1):232–246.
65. Folstein, M, Liu, T, Peter, I, et al. The homocysteine hypothesis of depression. Am J Psychiatry. 2007; 164(6):861–867.
66. Roffman, JL, Weiss, AP, Purcell, S, et al. Contribution of methylenetertrahydrofoalte reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism to negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 2008; 63: 42–48.
67. Deplin [package insert]. Covington, LA: Pamlab; 2008.
68. Farah, A. Atypicality of atypical antipsychotics. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2005; 7: 268–274.
69. Troen, AM, Mitchell, B, Sorensen, B, et al. Unmetabolized folic acid in plasma is associated with reduced natural killer cell cytotoxicity among postmenopausal women. J Nutr. 2006; 136: 189–194.
70. Hunter, R, Barnes, J. Toxicity of folic acid given in pharmacological doses to healthy volunteers. Lancet. 1(7637):61–63.
71. Aisen, PS, Schneider, LS, Sano, M, et al. High-dose B vitamin supplementation and cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2008; 300(15):1774–1783.
72. Resler, G, Lavie, R, Campos, J, et al. Effect of folic acid combined with fluoxetine in patients with major depression on plasma homocysteine and vitamin B12, and serotonin levels in lymphocytes. Neuroimmunomodulation. 2008; 15(3):145–152.