TY - JOUR
T1 - 31P-MRS study of acetyl-L-carnitine treatment in geriatric depression
T2 - Preliminary results
AU - Pettegrew, Jay W.
AU - Levine, Joseph
AU - Gershon, Samuel
AU - Stanley, Jeffrey A.
AU - Servan-Schreiber, David
AU - Panchalingam, Kanagasabai
AU - McClure, Richard J.
PY - 2002/6/8
Y1 - 2002/6/8
N2 - Objective: This 12-week study of two elderly, depressed subjects investigated the effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) treatment on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and on measures of high-energy phosphate and membrane phospholipid metabolism. Methods: Two mildly depressed (HDRS 15-20), non-demented male subjects 70 and 80 years old were compared with six non-demented controls (all males, mean age of 73.6 ± 3.6 years). High-energy and membrane phospholipid metabolites were measured by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (31P MRSI) analysis. HDRS and 31P MRSI measurements were taken at entry, 6 and 12 weeks for the depressed subjects. Results: 31P MRSI analysis revealed elevated levels of phosphomonesters [PME(s - τc] in the prefrontal region of these mildly depressed subjects, which decreased with ALCAR treatment and showed a trend for correlation of the PME(s - τc) levels with HDRS. ALCAR treatment also resulted in increasing levels of the prefrontal phosphocreatine (PCr), which correlated with HDRS. Conclusions: In the prefrontal region,-the mildly depressed subjects compared with controls had elevated PME(s - τc) levels which normalized after 12 weeks of ALCAR and increased PCr levels after ALCAR treatment. These preliminary findings suggest further studies are warranted.
AB - Objective: This 12-week study of two elderly, depressed subjects investigated the effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) treatment on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and on measures of high-energy phosphate and membrane phospholipid metabolism. Methods: Two mildly depressed (HDRS 15-20), non-demented male subjects 70 and 80 years old were compared with six non-demented controls (all males, mean age of 73.6 ± 3.6 years). High-energy and membrane phospholipid metabolites were measured by phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (31P MRSI) analysis. HDRS and 31P MRSI measurements were taken at entry, 6 and 12 weeks for the depressed subjects. Results: 31P MRSI analysis revealed elevated levels of phosphomonesters [PME(s - τc] in the prefrontal region of these mildly depressed subjects, which decreased with ALCAR treatment and showed a trend for correlation of the PME(s - τc) levels with HDRS. ALCAR treatment also resulted in increasing levels of the prefrontal phosphocreatine (PCr), which correlated with HDRS. Conclusions: In the prefrontal region,-the mildly depressed subjects compared with controls had elevated PME(s - τc) levels which normalized after 12 weeks of ALCAR and increased PCr levels after ALCAR treatment. These preliminary findings suggest further studies are warranted.
KW - Acetyl-L-carnitine
KW - Geriatric depression
KW - Magnetic resonance spectroscopy
KW - Phospholipid metabolism
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036015058&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1034/j.1399-5618.2002.01180.x
DO - 10.1034/j.1399-5618.2002.01180.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 12047496
AN - SCOPUS:0036015058
VL - 4
SP - 61
EP - 66
JO - Bipolar Disorders
JF - Bipolar Disorders
SN - 1398-5647
IS - 1
ER -