title: Enhancement of recovery from psychiatric illness by methylfolate.
abstract: 41 (33%) of 123 patients with acute psychiatric disorders (DSM III diagnosis of major depression or schizophrenia) had borderline or definite folate deficiency (red-cell folate below 200 micrograms/l) and took part in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of methylfolate, 15 mg daily, for 6 months in addition to standard psychotropic treatment. Among both depressed and schizophrenic patients methylfolate significantly improved clinical and social recovery. The differences in outcome scores between methylfolate and placebo groups became greater with time. These findings add to the evidence implicating disturbances of methylation in the nervous system in the biology of some forms of mental illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, King's College Hospital and Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Godfrey
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Toone
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Carney
authors.forename: T G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bottiglieri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laundy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chanarin
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: C028162:N(10)-methylfolate; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D008727:Methotrexate