title: Baseline vitamin B12 and folate levels do not predict improvement in depression after a single infusion of ketamine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deficiencies in both vitamin B12 and folate have been associated with depression. Recently, higher baseline vitamin B12 levels were observed in individuals with bipolar depression who responded to the antidepressant ketamine at 7 days post-infusion. This study sought to -replicate this result by correlating peripheral vitamin levels with ketamine's antidepressant efficacy in bipolar depression and major depressive disorder (MDD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Baseline vitamin B12 and folate levels were obtained in 49 inpatients with treatment-resistant MDD and 34 inpatients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression currently experiencing a major depressive episode. All subjects received a single intravenous ketamine infusion. Post-hoc Pearson correlations were performed between baseline vitamin B12 and folate levels, as well as antidepressant response assessed by percent change in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores from baseline to 230 min, 1 day, and 7 days post-infusion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant correlation was observed between baseline vitamin B12 or folate and percent change in HDRS for any of the 3 time points in either MDD or bipolar depression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ketamine's antidepressant efficacy may occur independently of baseline peripheral vitamin levels.
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: N B
authors: NB
authors: Lundin
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: M J
authors: MJ
authors: Niciu
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: Luckenbaugh
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: D F
authors: DF
authors: Ionescu
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: E M
authors: EM
authors: Richards
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: J L
authors: JL
authors: Vande Voort
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: N E
authors: NE
authors: Brutsche
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Machado-Vieira
authors: Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD.
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Zarate
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D007649:Ketamine; D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12