REGULATION OF ELEMENTAL RATIOS IN AFFECTIVE-DISORDERS - A STUDY USINGPIXE

The biochemical aetiology of affective disorders includes possible der angement of trace-elements metabolism. It is however becoming clear th at rather than individual elements, ratios of critical elements might be more important parameters to study. In this work, we have employed a 2 MeV proton beam PIXE facility to determine the concentrations of u p to 9 elements, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb, S and P, in freeze-dried p lasma and erythrocytes obtained from 21 patients suffering from affect ive disorders. The regulation of some important ratios in terms of dis persion about mean values were studied as well as correlations between these elements. There were very marked close regulations of elemental ratios in affective disorders when the results are compared with thos e obtained from normal subjects used as controls.