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Related Experiment Videos

Urinary phenyl acetate: a diagnostic test for depression?

H C Sabelli, J Fawcett, F Gusovsky

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |June 10, 1983
    PubMed
    Summary

    Low urinary excretion of phenylacetic acid (PAA), a metabolite of 2-phenylethylamine, may indicate major depressive disorder. This finding could aid in diagnosing unipolar depression.

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    Area of Science:

    • Neuroscience
    • Biochemistry
    • Psychiatry

    Background:

    • 2-Phenylethylamine (PEA) is an endogenous compound influencing central adrenergic functions.
    • PEA is primarily metabolized by monoamine oxidase into phenylacetic acid (PAA).

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate urinary PAA excretion levels in healthy individuals and patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder.
    • To determine if PAA excretion can serve as a diagnostic marker for unipolar depression.

    Main Methods:

    • Collected 24-hour urine samples from healthy volunteers and patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (DSM-III criteria).
    • Quantified urinary phenylacetic acid (PAA) excretion.
    • Compared PAA levels between groups, including treated and untreated patients, and inpatients versus outpatients.

    Main Results:

    • Healthy volunteers excreted 70–175 mg PAA/24 hours (mean 141.1 ± 10.2 mg).
    • Major depressive disorder inpatients (N=31) showed significantly lower PAA excretion (mean 68.7 ± 7.0 mg/24 hours), with 55% excreting <70 mg.
    • Reduced PAA excretion was observed in both untreated and ineffectively treated patients, as well as in less severely depressed outpatients.

    Conclusions:

    • Low urinary PAA excretion appears to be a potential state marker for diagnosing certain forms of unipolar major depressive disorder.
    • This finding warrants further investigation into PAA as a biomarker in psychiatric diagnostics.

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