title: Low serum folate levels as a risk factor for depressive mood in patients with chronic epilepsy.
abstract: This study takes into consideration whether low serum folate levels may contribute to depressive mood in patients with chronic epilepsy. The serum folate levels and the score on the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were examined in 46 patients with chronic epilepsy. Patients with a score indicating at least minor depression on the SDS had a significantly lower serum folate level than patients with a normal score on SDS. There was a significant negative correlation between the serum folate levels and the SDS score. A serum folate level below 7.5 ng/ml was significantly associated with a pathological score on SDS. Because a serum folate level of 7.5 ng/ml is in the normal range for many laboratories, further studies using total plasma homocysteine as a sensitive measure of functional folate deficiency are required to elucidate the impact of folate metabolism on depressive mood in patients with chronic epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Epileptology, University of Ulm, Ravensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rösche
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uhlmann
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fröscher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid