allergies, folate, depression, methyltetrahydrofolate

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Three cites herein

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1: J Clin Psychiatry. 2007;68 Suppl 10:28-33.

The role of folate in depression and dementia.

Mischoulon D, Raab MF.

Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical

School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. dmischoulon@...

Adequate levels of folate are crucial for proper brain and body

functioning. Folate deficiencies may lead to an increased risk of

depression and poorer antidepressant treatment outcomes, as well as an

increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. In 1996, the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration mandated fortification of grain products with

folic acid, which has brought about vast reductions in folate deficiency.

However, folate deficiencies may be caused by improper absorption and

utilization, often due to genetic polymorphisms. Individuals, therefore,

can have insufficient levels or lack needed forms of folate, despite

adequate intake. Supplementation with the active form of folate,

methyltetrahydrofolate, which is more readily absorbed, may be effective

in the prevention and treatment of both depression and dementia.

PMID: 17900207 [PubMed - in process]

2: J Clin Psychiatry. 2007;68 Suppl 10:4-7.

Augmenting antidepressants with folate: a clinical perspective.

Fava M.

Depression Clinical and Research Program, Massachusetts General Hospital,

Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA. mfava@...

The goal of treatment of depression is full remission, but only a minority

of patients will achieve full remission with antidepressant monotherapy.

Several forms of augmentation have been found to improve the effect of

antidepressants, but in some cases, issues of safety and tolerability may

be of concern. Folate in particular has been found to further reduce

symptoms in patients with depression when used in conjunction with an

antidepressant, and because folate is a water-soluble B vitamin, its

safety and tolerability are well established. This strategy would

typically be used in patients with low plasma or red blood cell folate

levels. Folate augmentation may be used (1) to enhance the efficacy of

antidepressants in nonresponders, (2) to enable those who partially

respond to antidepressant monotherapy to achieve remission, and (3) to

alleviate residual symptoms during antidepressant treatment.

PMID: 17900202 [PubMed - in process]

3: J Clin Psychiatry. 2007 Sep;68(9):1419-25.

Association of internalizing disorders and allergies in a child and

adolescent psychiatry clinical sample.

Infante M, Slattery MJ, Klein MH, Essex MJ.

Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and

Public Health, Madison, WI 53719-1176, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the specificity of the association between

internalizing disorders (anxiety and depression) and atopic disorders

(asthma, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and atopic dermatitis) in a

child and adolescent psychiatric clinical sample. METHOD: A sample of

184 youths was evaluated for current DSM-IV psychiatric disorders

(clinical interview) and lifetime history of atopic disorders (parent

report and chart review) in a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic

from September 1, 2001, through December 31, 2002. Logistic regression

analyses were used to assess the differential likelihood of having a

lifetime history of atopic disorders among psychiatrically ill youths

with and without internalizing disorders. RESULTS: Youths with

internalizing disorders were significantly more likely than those with

noninternalizing disorders to have a lifetime history of atopic

disorders (odds ratio [OR] = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.02 to 3.73, p = .04).

Moreover, analyses distinguishing youths with " pure " internalizing

disorders from those with comorbid internalizing and externalizing

disorders, " pure " externalizing disorders, and other psychiatric

disorders showed that the association with atopic disorders was

specific for " pure " internalizing disorders only (OR = 2.40, 95% CI =

1.09 to 5.30, p = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Atopic disorders may be

associated specifically with " pure " internalizing disorders in

psychiatrically ill youths. Additional studies are needed to identify

the underlying mechanisms of this specificity for the subsequent

development of effective treatment and prevention interventions that

target both disorders.

Publication Types:

* Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

PMID: 17915983