title: Association of serum homocysteine with major depressive disorder: results from a large population-based study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies on the association between homocysteine levels and depression have shown conflicting results. To examine the association between serum total homocysteine (tHcy) levels and major depressive disorder (MDD) in a large community sample with an extended age range.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3392 men and women aged 35-66 years participating in the CoLaus study and its psychiatric arm (PsyCoLaus) were included in the analyses. High tHcy measured from fasting blood samples was defined as a concentration ≥15μmol/L. MDD was assessed using the semi-structured Diagnostic Interview for Genetics Studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In multivariate analyses, elevated tHcy levels were associated with greater odds of meeting the diagnostic criteria for lifetime MDD among men (OR=1.71; 95% CI, 1.18-2.50). This was particularly the case for remitted MDD. Among women, there was no significant association between tHcy levels and MDD and the association tended to be in the opposite direction (OR=0.61; 95% CI, 0.34-1.08).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this large population-based study, elevated tHcy concentrations are associated with lifetime MDD and particularly with remitted MDD among men.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U1018, Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health, Epidemiology of Occupational and Social Determinants of Health, Villejuif F-94807, France; Université de Versailles St Quentin, UMRS 1018, Villejuif F-94807, France. Electronic address: Hermann.Nabi@inserm.fr.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nabi
authors.forename: Murielle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bochud
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glaus
authors.forename: Aurélie M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lasserre
authors.forename: Gérard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waeber
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vollenweider
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Preisig
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine
keywords: Homocysteine; Major depressive disorder; Population-based study