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BMC Psychiatry
Published in: BMC Psychiatry 1/2020

01-12-2020 | Mood Disorders | Research article

Evaluation of serum amino acids and non-enzymatic antioxidants in drug-naïve first-episode major depressive disorder

Authors: Md. Rabiul Islam, Samia Ali, James Regun Karmoker, Mohammad Fahim Kadir, Maizbha Uddin Ahmed, Zabun Nahar, Sardar Mohammad Ashraful Islam, Mohammad Safiqul Islam, Abul Hasnat, Md. Saiful Islam

Published in: BMC Psychiatry | Issue 1/2020

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Abstract

Background

The alterations of biological markers are thought to be effective tools to understand the pathophysiology and management of major depressive disorder (MDD). A lot of researches has implied many markers for depression, but any of them fully discovered the association between the markers and depression. The present study investigated the serum levels of amino acids and non-enzymatic antioxidants in major depression, and also explained their association with depression.

Methods

This study examined 247 MDD patients and 248 healthy controls (HCs) matched by age and sex. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D) was used to all the participants to measure the severity of depression. Quantification of serum amino acids, vitamin A and E were carried out using the HPLC system whereas vitamin C levels were measured by UV-spectrophotometer. All the statistical analysis was performed by SPSS statistical software (version 23.0). The independent sample t-test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Fisher’s exact test were applied to detect the group differences where a Bonferroni correction applied to the p value.

Results

It was observed that serum levels of four amino acids (methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine) along with three non-enzymatic antioxidants (vitamin A, E, and C) were significantly dropped in MDD patients compared to HCs (Cohen’s d (d): − 0.45, − 0.50, − 0.68, − 0.21, − 0.27, − 0.65, and − 0.24, respectively). Furthermore, Ham-D scores of cases were negatively correlated with serum levels of methionine (r = − 0.155, p = 0.015) and tyrosine (r = − 0.172, p = 0.007).

Conclusion

The present study suggests that lowered serum methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine, and non-enzymatic antioxidants are associated with depression. The reduction of these parameters in MDD patients may be the consequence, and not the cause, of major depression.
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Metadata
Title
Evaluation of serum amino acids and non-enzymatic antioxidants in drug-naïve first-episode major depressive disorder
Authors
Md. Rabiul Islam
Samia Ali
James Regun Karmoker
Mohammad Fahim Kadir
Maizbha Uddin Ahmed
Zabun Nahar
Sardar Mohammad Ashraful Islam
Mohammad Safiqul Islam
Abul Hasnat
Md. Saiful Islam
Publication date
01-12-2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Psychiatry / Issue 1/2020
Electronic ISSN: 1471-244X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02738-2

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