Biomedical subjects

C Swade

Publications and source records attributed to C Swade.

21 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Folic acid enhances lithium prophylaxis.

A double-blind trial was carried out to investigate the effect on affective morbidity of a daily supplement of 200 micrograms folic acid or a matched placebo in a group of 75 patients on lithium therapy. During the trial the patients with the highest plasma folate concentrations showed a significant reduction in their affective morbidity. Patients who had their plasma folate increased to 13 ng/ml or above had a 40% reduction in their affective morbidity. It is suggested that a daily supplement of 300-400 micrograms folic acid would be useful in long-term lithium prophylaxis.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Seasonal variations in the dexamethasone suppression test.

One hundred and fifty-six patients from Epsom (U.K.) and Brussels, all suffering from major depressive disorder, were tested on the dexamethasone suppression test. Post-dexamethasone cortisol concentration in the plasma was found to be much lower in the winter months (November to February) than in the rest of the year.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Depression and tetrahydrobiopterin: the folate connection.

Total biopterin, neopterin and creatinine were measured in spot urine samples from affective disorder patients on lithium therapy and control subjects. Folic acid was also measured in plasma in a sample of the patients. The mean neopterin: biopterin ratio was significantly higher in the 76 patients (3.2 +/- 0.5) than in the 61 controls (1.8 +/- 0.1). In female patients biopterin levels were significantly lower than in controls. In the control groups there was a significant correlation between the molar concentration of neopterin and biopterin. No such correlation was found in the patients. These data indicate that tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) biosynthesis is reduced in this group. A significant positive correlation was found between plasma folate and urinary biopterin. It is suggested that folate deficiency may impair the synthesis of BH4, a cofactor essential for the synthesis of 5-HT and other monoamines that are involved in the pathogenesis of affective disorders.

Adult↗