title: Serum Mg2+ and Ca2+/Mg2+ ratio in major depressive disorder.
abstract: Serum Mg2+ has been implicated in the symptom severity and pathophysiology of mood disorders. Furthermore, the recent findings of blunted signalling through the G-protein-coupled adenylyl cyclase (AC) pathway in major depressive disorder (MDD) and the importance of Mg2+ in G-protein/AC function led us to reexamine in a large sample whether serum Mg2+ concentrations were decreased in MDD patients. In 145 drug-free MDD patients compared with 2 control groups: (a) patients with bipolar disorder (n = 33) and (b) non-mood-disordered patients (n = 47), there were no differences in Mg2+ levels or Ca2+/Mg2+ ratios. Neither of these measures differed when comparing responders and nonresponders to antidepressant treatment.
authors.affiliation: Mood Disorders Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont, Canada.
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Robb
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Joffe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium