title: Leukocyte mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content is associated with depression in old women.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content of peripheral blood leukocyte is related to depression in community-dwelling old women. A total of 142 community-dwelling women, older than 60 years, were included in the study. The mtDNA copy number, which represents the mtDNA content, was measured using real-time PCR methods. Patients with depression defined as the subjects whose 15-question geriatric depression scale (GDS) score was ≥ 8 or who were taking anti-depressant medication. We also measured cognitive function, physical performances (gait speed, chair-stand times, tandem standing times) and metabolic parameters. The depression group had a significantly lower mtDNA copy number than the control group (71.5 vs. 107.3; interquartile range (IQR) = 42.7-116.0 vs. 51.7-202.1; p = 0.028). The Korean version of the mini mental state examination (K-MMSE) score and physical performance score were significantly lower in the depression group than in the control group (p = 0.041, and p = 0.002, respectively). After adjustment for confounding factors using multiple logistic regression analysis, mtDNA copy number was significantly related to depression (p = 0.025). We demonstrated that low leukocyte mtDNA content is related to depression in community dwelling old women. This finding suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction could be a mechanism of geriatric depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Severance Hospital, 250 Sungsan-Ro, Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-752, South Korea.
authors.forename: Moo-Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hee-Cheol
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Eosu
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Duk-Chul
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial