Predictive value of amino acids in the treatment of major depression with fluvoxamine.

Neuropsychobiology

Department of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore di Milano, Milan, Italy.

Published: November 2001

Sixteen outpatients (mean age +/- SD 50.18 +/- 11.55 years; 11 females and 5 males) affected by major depression without melancholia (DSM-IV) were included in the study. The control group consisted of 11 healthy volunteers (mean age +/- SD 39.90 +/- 13.39 years; 2 females and 9 males). Patients were treated with fluvoxamine (FVX) 100-300 mg daily. Clinical assessment was performed using the Hamilton Rating Scales for Anxiety and Depression (HRS-A; HRS-D) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI) at basal time (T(0)), after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks (T(8)). Plasma and platelet amino acid levels were determined at T(0) in all the subjects and also at T(8) in depressed patients. A significant clinical improvement was observed in depressed patients according to the HRS-A (p = 0.004), HRS-D (p = 0.008) and CGI (p = 0.002). A negative correlation (r = -0.53, p = 0.049) was found between platelet levels of valine and HRS-D improvement rate. Patients showed significantly higher tyrosine/large neutral amino acids (LNAAs) and lower tryptophan/LNAAs, ratios which could represent an index of good response to a serotonergic drug like FVX.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000054933DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

amino acids
8
major depression
8
age +/-
8
years females
8
females males
8
depressed patients
8
predictive amino
4
acids treatment
4
treatment major
4
depression fluvoxamine
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!