title: The role of pterins in depression and the effects of antidepressive therapy.
abstract: Urinary excretion of neopterins (N) and biopterins (B) was measured in 48 patients with depression before and after treatment with placebo, antidepressants, or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and in 26 healthy control subjects. Patients prior to and after treatment had a significantly greater neopterin/biopterin (N:B) ratio than control subjects. There was a significant correlation between N:B ratios and the severity of depression and plasma cortisol. As a raised N:B ratio implies failure to convert neopterin to biopterin, it is possible that reduced availability of tetrahydrobiopterin, the essential cofactor for the formation of noradrenaline, serotonin and dopamine, may exert rate-limiting control over the synthesis of monoamines implicated in the pathogenesis of depressive illness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Abou-Saleh
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cattell
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Hamon
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Blair
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin; D010883:Piperoxan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012016:Reference Values; D020889:Rolipram
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D011758:Pyrroles; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D000639:Amitriptyline; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin; D010883:Piperoxan; D020889:Rolipram; C065161:fluparoxan; D006854:Hydrocortisone