Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
07:04
A High-performance Liquid Chromatography Measurement of Kynurenine and Kynurenic Acid: Relating Biochemistry to Cognition and Sleep in Rats
Published on: August 19, 2018
Kynurenic Acid Offers Added Value in Predicting ECT Outcomes in Depression
Annelies Dellink1,2, Jean-Baptiste Belge3, Pascal Sienaert4
1Scientific Initiative of Neuropsychiatric and Psychopharmacological Studies (SINAPS), University Psychiatric Centre Duffel, Duffel, Belgium, annelies.dellink@gmail.com.
Neuropsychobiology
|June 18, 2026
Summary
Kynurenic acid (KYNA) shows promise as a predictor for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) effectiveness in treating severe depression. This biomarker may help personalize ECT treatment strategies for better patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Biomarker Research
Background:
- Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is highly effective for severe depression but lacks reliable predictors of treatment response.
- Clinical factors have limited predictive value, necessitating multimodal models integrating biological markers.
- Identifying predictive biomarkers can personalize ECT, optimize patient selection, and improve response rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the predictive value of plasma immune markers for ECT outcomes.
- To determine the added contribution of these markers to existing clinical prediction models.
- To identify potential biomarkers for personalized electroconvulsive therapy.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cohort study with 74 participants.
- Development of multivariable linear and logistic regression models.
- Assessed plasma immune markers and depressive symptom reduction (Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - IDS-C).
Main Results:
- Kynurenic acid (KYNA) significantly predicted symptom reduction and remission post-ECT.
- KYNA improved prediction accuracy when combined with clinical predictors.
- KYNA showed stronger predictive value in unipolar depression, males, and patients without inflammation.
Conclusions:
- KYNA demonstrates potential as a predictive biomarker for ECT outcomes.
- Further validation in diverse cohorts is needed for clinical integration.
- KYNA may facilitate personalized treatment strategies for electroconvulsive therapy.
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