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Predictive value of folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels in late-life depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Jae-Min Kim ,
Robert Stewart ,
Sung-Wan Kim ,
Su-Jin Yang ,
Il-Seon Shin  and
Jin-Sang Yoon
Jae-Min Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Depression Clinical Research Centre, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
Robert Stewart
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, Section of Epidemiology, King's College London, UK
Sung-Wan Kim
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Depression Clinical Research Centre, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
Su-Jin Yang
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Depression Clinical Research Centre, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
Il-Seon Shin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Depression Clinical Research Centre, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
Jin-Sang Yoon*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Depression Clinical Research Centre, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea
*
Professor JS Yoon, Department of Psychiatry and Depression Clinical Research Centre, Chonnam National University Medical School, Kwangju, Republic of Korea. Email: jsyoon@chonnam.ac.kr
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Abstract

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Background

The role of folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels in depression is not clear.

Aims

To investigate cross-sectional and prospective associations between folate, B12 and homocysteine levels and late-life depression.

Method

A total of 732 Korean people aged 65 years or over were evaluated at baseline. Of the 631 persons who were not depressed, 521 (83%) were followed over a period of 2–3 years and incident depression was ascertained with the Geriatric Mental State schedule. Serum folate, serum vitamin B12 and plasma homocysteine levels were assayed at both baseline and follow-up.

Results

Lower levels of folate and vitamin B12 and higher homocysteine levels at baseline were associated with a higher risk of incident depression at follow-up. Incident depression was associated with a decline in vitamin B12 and an increase in homocysteine levels over the follow-up period.

Conclusions

Lower folate, lower vitamin B12 and raised homocysteine levels may be risk factors for late-life depression.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 192 , Issue 4 , April 2008 , pp. 268 - 274
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2008 

Footnotes

Declaration of interest

None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements

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