The astroglial protein S100B and visually evoked event-related potentials before and after antidepressant treatment.
BACKGROUND
S100B is an astrocytic, calcium-binding protein which in nanomolar concentrations has neuroprotective and regenerating effects on neurons and glial cells. Increased levels have been shown to be positively correlated with therapeutic response in major depression. Event-related potentials (ERP) have been reported to be impaired in depressed patients.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between S100B and visually evoked ERP in depression.


METHODS
ERP and S100B serum concentration were studied in 18 patients with major depression, before and after 4 weeks of antidepressant treatment.


RESULTS
The S100B concentration in patients was increased at intake and after 4 weeks of treatment compared to healthy controls. Initially increased P3-latency normalized and P2-latency significantly decreased after 4 weeks of treatment, although only in patients with clearly elevated initial S100B levels (mean plus 2 SD of the healthy controls).


CONCLUSIONS
The neuroregenerative activity of moderately increased S100B levels in major depression might be a factor contributing to a decrease of prolonged ERP parameters in major depression during antidepressant treatment.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Muenster, Albert-Schweitzer-Str. 11, 48129 Muenster, Germany. hetzelg@uni-muenster.de
Guenter
G
Hetzel
Olaf
O
Moeller
Stefan
S
Evers
Andreas
A
Erfurth
Gerald
G
Ponath
Volker
V
Arolt
Matthias
M
Rothermundt
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015283:Citalopram / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009025:Morpholines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000077593:Reboxetine; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013223:Statistics as Topic
D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D015283:Citalopram; D009025:Morpholines; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D000077593:Reboxetine; D064568:S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta Subunit; D009418:S100 Proteins; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C579160:S100B protein, human