Annals of General Psychiatry (Sep 2008)

Increased plasma homocysteine levels in patients with multiple sclerosis and depression

  • Nikolaou Chrysoula,
  • Siamouli Melina,
  • Fountoulakis Konstantinos N,
  • Boufidou Fotini,
  • Kararizou Evangelia,
  • Kimiskidis Vasilios K,
  • Evangelopoulos Maria-Eleftheria,
  • Triantafyllou Nikolaos,
  • Sfagos Constantinos,
  • Vlaikidis Nikolaos,
  • Vassilopoulos Dimitrios

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1744-859X-7-17
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
p. 17

Abstract

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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 μmol/l vs 8.5 ± 3.1, p 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.