title: Depressive symptoms may explain elevated plasma levels of homocysteine in females with eating disorders.
abstract: Elevated plasma homocysteine levels have been found in different psychiatric disorders, including major depression and eating disorders. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether presence of depression or depressive symptoms is associated with elevated homocysteine levels in patients with eating disorders. Total plasma homocysteine levels were assessed in 44 females with anorexia nervosa (n = 21) or bulimia nervosa (n = 23). Comorbid major depressive disorder (MDD) was diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria using a semi-structured interview (SCID-I). Furthermore, depressive symptoms were assessed using Beck's depression inventory (BDI). Presence of MDD was not associated with elevated homocysteine levels (t-test: T = 0.42; df = 42; P = 0.68). However, self-rated presence of clinically relevant depressive symptoms (BDI score18) was associated with elevated homocysteine (T = -2.8; df = 42; P = 0.008). Presence of depressive symptoms may explain elevated homocysteine levels previously reported in patients with eating disorders or vice versa. Longitudinal studies are needed to unravel this hen or egg problem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlagen, Germany. helge.frieling@uk-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Helge
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Frieling
authors.forename: Konstanze D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Römer
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hillemacher
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Georg Ernst
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Jacoby
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Zwaan
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bleich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001068:Feeding and Eating Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine