DEPRESSION AND FOLATE ACID DEFICIENCY - F REQUENCY ACCORDING TO DEPRESSIVE SUBGROUPS

After looking at the literature according to folate acid deficiency in psychiatric disorders especially depression the results of a study on serum and red blood cell folate acid levels in 100 depressive inpatie nts (31 men, 69 women) are reported. Folate acid levels were analysed at first two days of admission using luminescent immunoassay by Ciba C orning. Against expectation we could not find any abnormal mean values of serum and red blood cell folate acid except in one inpatient's ser um value at the first day but not in red cell levels and also not at t he second day. Comparing neurotic (ICD-9: 300.4) and unipolare endogen ous depression (ICD-9: 296.1) we found significantly lower folate acid values (serum and also red blood cell values) in the neurotic group. The mean values in both groups were normal. This difference was found again after selecting depressives older than 65 years and again after matching both groups by age and sex.