Is methylfolate effective in relieving major depression in chronic alcoholics? A hypothesis of treatment

Folate deficiency is often associated with depression. Chronic alcoholics, who usually present with reduced blood folate levels, are frequently affected by depression. After a 1-week run-in placebo period, 36 chronic alcoholics with major depression were treated with methylfolate (90 mg/d orally for...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inCurrent therapeutic research Vol. 55; no. 5; pp. 559 - 568
Main Authors Di Palma, C., Urani, R., Agricola, R., Giorgetti, V., Verde, G. Dalla
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Belle Mead, NJ EM Inc USA 01.05.1994
Excerpta medica
Subjects
Biological and medical sciences
Medical sciences
Neuropharmacology
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease)
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopharmacology
Human
Chemotherapy
Chronic
Treatment
Alcoholism
Antidepressant agent
Depression
Folate
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Summary:Folate deficiency is often associated with depression. Chronic alcoholics, who usually present with reduced blood folate levels, are frequently affected by depression. After a 1-week run-in placebo period, 36 chronic alcoholics with major depression were treated with methylfolate (90 mg/d orally for 4 weeks) as an antidepressant. The surprisingly beneficial effects induced by methylfolate on depressive signs and symptoms of ethanol abusers should encourage more extensive experimental and clinical investigations to confirm these preliminary results. No adverse side effects were reported.
ISSN:0011-393X
1879-0313
DOI:10.1016/S0011-393X(05)80187-0