Homocysteine, vitamin B12, folate, SAM, and monomine metabolites in depression
| Total plasma Hcy (μmol/1) | Serum vitamin B12 (ng/1) | Serum folate (μg/1) | RBC folate (μg/1) | CSF folate (μg/1) | CSF SAM (nmol/1) | CSF 5-HIAA (nmol/1) | CSF HVA (nmol/1) | CSF MHPG (nmol/1) | |
| Normal controls (n=18) | 7.6 (2.4) | 344 (105) | 7.0 (3.0) | 362 (175) | — | — | — | — | — |
| Neurological controls (n=20) | 6.6 (2.0) | 410 (154) | 9.1 (3.9) | 373 (97) | 22.3 (3.8) (n=17) | 163 (30) (n=16) | 107 (23) | 233 (49) | 56.3 (18.5) |
| Depression: | |||||||||
| All patients (n=46) | 13.2 (6.2)b c | 361 (148) | 5.9 (4.0) | 247 (126)b d | 19.4 (7.6) (n=28) | 146 (36) (n=28) | 95 (42) (n=28) | 211 (108) (n=28) | 46.2 (14.0) (n=28) |
| Normal Hcy group (n=22) | 8.2 (1.9) | 392 (133) | 7.2 (4.0) | 320 (118) | 21.8 (6.2) (n=15) | 160 (35) (n=15) | 104 (48) (n=15) | 251 (124) (n=15) | 48.6 (16.1) |
| High hcy group (n=24) | 17.7 (5.4)a c | 334 (157) | 4.6 (3.7)d | 179 (92)b c | 16.6 (8.4)e (n=13) | 129 (29)d (n=13) | 85 (31)g (n=13) | 165 (62)e (n=13) | 43.5 (11.2)f (n=13) |
Values are mean (SD). Hcy=homocysteine. Versus normal controls: a=p<0.001; b=p<0.01. Versus neurological controls: c=p<0.001; d=p<0.01; e=p<0.02; f=p<0.04; g=p<0.05.