Relationship between blood cholesterol level and acute depression

Depression is regarded as one of the widespread psychiatric diseases. Most probably none is free from depression. A number of researches recorded the relationship between acute depression and reduction in the level of cholesterol of depressed people. In this study, blood samples were collected from 144 depressed subjects, some were visiting, and others were residents in the Psychological Health Hospital and King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah. The necessary tests were carried out on these samples in order to know the level of cholesterol. They were categorized into two groups: subjects with acute depression (60 patients), and those with mild depression (84 patients) according to the criteria of the physician and the psychiatrist in the hospital. Data collected from each patient included the social status, financial status and other information. The results showed a close relationship between acute depression and reduction in blood cholesterol (less than 160 mg/dl). This study is compatible with others that confirm the hypothesis declaring the close relationship between acute depression and low blood cholesterol. The results also showed that the youth category was more exposed to acute depression with low level of cholesterol than the other categories. Also, the sex differences did not affect the incidence of depression, as it was comparable in men and women. However, when age and sex were grouped together, men in the age group of 51-60 years were more exposed to acute depression with low level of cholesterol than women. Besides, the social perspective showed that the divorced and the widowed were more likely to have acute depression accompanied with a low level of cholesterol than other social categories.