Abstract Title:

31P-MRS study of acetyl-L-carnitine treatment in geriatric depression: preliminary results.

Abstract Source:

Int J Neurosci. 2003 Dec;113(12):1691-701. PMID: 12047496

Abstract Author(s):

Jay W Pettegrew, Joseph Levine, Samuel Gershon, Jeffrey A Stanley, David Servan-Schreiber, Kanagasabai Panchalingam, Richard J McClure

Article Affiliation:

Neurophysics Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. [email protected]

Abstract:

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 - tau(c))] in the prefrontal region of these mildly depressed subjects, which decreased with ALCAR treatment and showed a trend for correlation of the PME(s - tau(c)) 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 - tau(c)) levels which normalized after 12 weeks of ALCAR and increased PCr levels after ALCAR treatment. These preliminary findings suggest further studies are warranted.

Study Type : Human Study

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