Lower serum vitamin E concentrations in major depression. Another marker of lowered antioxidant defenses in that illness.
OBJECTIVE
Major depression is associated with defective antioxidant defenses. Vitamin E is the major fat soluble antioxidant in the body. The aim of the present study is to examine serum vitamin E concentrations in major depressed patients versus normal volunteers.


METHODS
Serum vitamin E concentrations were measured in 26 healthy volunteers and 42 major depressed patients by means of HPLC. Since vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin, and serum vitamin E concentrations are strongly related to these of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides, we have adjusted the results for possible differences in these lipids. The numbers of peripheral blood leukocytes were measured.


RESULTS
Patients with major depression had significantly lower serum vitamin E concentrations than healthy controls. The area under the ROC (receiver operating characteristics) curve was 83%. There were significant and negative correlations between serum vitamin E and number of total leukocytes and neutrophils.


CONCLUSIONS
Major depression is accompanied by significantly lower serum vitamin E concentrations, suggesting lower antioxidant defenses against lipid peroxidation. The results could, in part, explain previous findings, which suggest increased lipid peroxidation in major depression.
Maes
M
M
Clinical Research Center for Mental Health (CRC-MH), Antwerp, Belgium. crc-mh@online.be
De Vos
N
N
Pioli
R
R
Demedts
P
P
Wauters
A
A
Neels
H
H
Christophe
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000494:pharmacology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D014810:Vitamin E