DETOXIFIED ALCOHOLICS, MAJOR DEPRESSIVES AND TYRAMINE SULFATE EXCRETION

The excretion of tyramine sulphate after challenge with an oral load o f tyramine was assessed in recently detoxified, clinically depressed a lcoholics and a matched group of major depressives. Tyramine excretion in the alcohol group (mean 5.95+/-3.28 mg/3h SD) was in the range pre viously observed in controls and was significantly higher than in the matched depressives (mean 3.43+/-2.37 mg/3 h SD). Tyramine sulphate ex cretion has been suggested as a genetic vulnerability marker for major depression. This study suggests that depression associated with alcoh ol withdrawal is not characterised by decreased tyramine sulphate excr etion after oral tyramine challenge, such decreased conjugation only b eing present, perhaps, in those patients with pre-existing endogenous depressive vulnerability. Although a genetic link between alcoholism a nd depression exists, these results support the absence of such a link to major depression.