Mitochondrial respiration in blood platelets of depressive patients

Recent evidences include mitochondrial dysfunctions in pathophysiology of mood disorders. We examined association between depressive disorders and mitochondrial respiration using both intact and permeabilized blood platelets. In intact platelets, physiological respiration, maximal capacity of electron transport system and respiratory rate after complex I inhibition were decreased in depressive patients, who reached partial remission, compared to healthy controls. Respiratory rates were unchanged in several respiratory states in permeabilized platelets. Results indicate that changes in respiratory rate in intact platelets can be used as biological marker of depressive disorder. The hypothesis that decreased mitochondrial respiratory rate participate in pathophysiology of depression was supported.