Increased Plasma Homocysteine Levels in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Depression

Overview

Journal Ann Gen Psychiatry

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2008 Sep 11

PMID 18782433

Citations 12

Authors

Nikolaos Triantafyllou

Maria-Eleftheria Evangelopoulos

Vasilios K Kimiskidis

Evangelia Kararizou

Fotini Boufidou

Konstantinos N Fountoulakis

Melina Siamouli

Chrysoula Nikolaou

Constantinos Sfagos

Nikolaos Vlaikidis

Dimitrios Vassilopoulos

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: The aim of the study was to assess the plasma levels of homocysteine in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and to investigate whether an association with depression exists.

Methods: Plasma homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin B12 and plasma folate were measured in 65 moderately disabled patients with relapsing/remitting MS (RR-MS) and 60 healthy controls. All subjects were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).

Results: Hcy levels were significantly increased in MS patients compared to controls (13.5 +/- 4.7 mumol/l vs 8.5 +/- 3.1, p < 0.001). A significant correlation was found between Hcy levels and BDI scores (Pearson r = 0.3025, p < 0.05). Plasma Hcy was not related to Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score, age, disease duration or vitamin B12 and folate.

Conclusion: Moderately disabled MS patients with elevated Hcy levels are particularly prone to develop depressive symptomatology. Further study is warranted in order to elucidate the prognostic and therapeutic implications of this novel finding.

Citing Articles

Association of serum homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B and mood following the Swank and Wahls elimination dietary interventions in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: Secondary analysis of the WAVES trial.

Shemirani F, Titcomb T, Saxby S, Ten Eyck P, Rubenstein L, Hoth K Mult Scler Relat Disord. 2023; 75:104743.

PMID: 37148578 PMC: 11887414. DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2023.104743.

Hyperhomocysteinemia and Endothelial Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis.

Dubchenko E, Ivanov A, Spirina N, Smirnova N, Melnikov M, Boyko A Brain Sci. 2020; 10(9).

PMID: 32947812 PMC: 7564574. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10090637.

Neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis involves multiple pathogenic mechanisms.

Levin M, Douglas J, Meyers L, Lee S, Shin Y, Gardner L Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis. 2020; 4:49-63.

PMID: 32669900 PMC: 7337253. DOI: 10.2147/DNND.S54391.

Multiple Sclerosis: Lipids, Lymphocytes, and Vitamin D.

Hayes C, Ntambi J Immunometabolism. 2020; 2(3).

PMID: 32528735 PMC: 7289029. DOI: 10.20900/immunometab20200019.

Serum levels of Homocysteine, Vitamin B12 and Folate in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis: an Updated Meta-Analysis.

Li X, Yuan J, Han J, Hu W Int J Med Sci. 2020; 17(6):751-761.

PMID: 32218697 PMC: 7085269. DOI: 10.7150/ijms.42058.

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