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Kynurenine pathway changes in late-life depression with memory deficit
Yujie Wu, Naikeng Mai, Xiaomei Zhong, Yuguan Wen, Yanling Zhou, Haiyan Li, Dewei Shang, Lijun Hu et al.. Psychiatry research, 2018-08-13
Topic: Gut, metabolism and diet
Kynurenine pathway (KP) activation is associated with many neuropsychiatric diseases, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Investigations conducted on MDD seldom shed light on KP changes in late-life depression (LLD), though memory deficit (MD) in patients with LLD is a predictable sign of AD. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether tryptophan (TRP) metabolism and kynurenine (KYN) metabolism were imbalanced in patients with LLD with MD and in patients with LLD without MD. We explored KP characteristics between LLD with MD and LLD without MD groups. We investigated 85 patients with LLD and MD, 71 patients with LLD without MD, and 129 healthy controls (HCs). Serum concentrations of TRP, KYN, and kynurenic acid (KYNA) were detected by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Cognition performance was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Language ability was assessed by the Boston Naming Test (BNT). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17). Lower TRP and KYNA levels, a lower KYNA/KYN ratio and a higher KYN/TRP ratio were found in patients with LLD and MD compared to those in HC. Low levels of TRP and KYN, in the absence of a changed KYN/TRP ratio, were found in patients with LLD without MD. The KYNA/TRP ratio and MMSE, BNT, and HAMD-17 scores were associated with the presence of LLD. MMSE scores and a trend for the KYN/TRP ratio were associated with the presence of MD in patients with LLD. Aside from MMSE scores, there was a trend toward an association between the KYN/TRP ratio and the presence of MD in patients with LLD. In conclusion, profound shifts in TRP metabolism and KYN metabolism were found in patients with LLD and MD but not in patients with LLD without MD.
Key findings
- Kynurenine pathway (KP) activation is associated with many neuropsychiatric diseases, such as major depressive disorder (MDD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- Lower TRP and KYNA levels, a lower KYNA/KYN ratio and a higher KYN/TRP ratio were found in patients with LLD and MD compared to those in HC.
- The KYNA/TRP ratio and MMSE, BNT, and HAMD-17 scores were associated with the presence of LLD.
- MMSE scores and a trend for the KYN/TRP ratio were associated with the presence of MD in patients with LLD.
- In conclusion, profound shifts in TRP metabolism and KYN metabolism were found in patients with LLD and MD but not in patients with LLD without MD.
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Study details
- Participants85
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record, multi-centre collaboration and free to read, so those were left out: it earned 26 of the 56 points we could judge it on, which is 46 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Psychiatry research) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 85 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30145300) |
| Free to read | — / 2 | Access not recorded — left out of this score |
| Points | 26 / 56 | Scored on 10 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 26 of the 56 points we could judge it on is 46 out of 100. |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Wu, Y., Mai, N., Zhong, X., Wen, Y., Zhou, Y., Li, H., et al. (2018). Kynurenine pathway changes in late-life depression with memory deficit. Psychiatry research. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.041
Vancouver
Wu Y, Mai N, Zhong X, Wen Y, Zhou Y, Li H, et al. Kynurenine pathway changes in late-life depression with memory deficit. Psychiatry research. 2018. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.041. PMID: 30145300.
BibTeX
@article{wu2018-30145300,
author = {Wu, Yujie and Mai, Naikeng and Zhong, Xiaomei and Wen, Yuguan and Zhou, Yanling and Li, Haiyan and Shang, Dewei and Hu, Lijun and others},
title = {{Kynurenine pathway changes in late-life depression with memory deficit}},
journal = {Psychiatry research},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.041},
pmid = {30145300},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2018.08.041}
}
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