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Serum Mg2+ and Ca2+/Mg2+ ratio in major depressive disorder
L T Young1, J C Robb, A J Levitt
1Mood Disorders Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont, Canada.
Abstract:
Serum Mg2+ has been implicated in the symptom severity and pathophysiology of mood disorders. Furthermore, the recent findings of blunted signalling through the G-protein-coupled adenylyl cyclase (AC) pathway in major depressive disorder (MDD) and the importance of Mg2+ in G-protein/AC function led us to reexamine in a large sample whether serum Mg2+ concentrations were decreased in MDD patients. In 145 drug-free MDD patients compared with 2 control groups: (a) patients with bipolar disorder (n = 33) and (b) non-mood-disordered patients (n = 47), there were no differences in Mg2+ levels or Ca2+/Mg2+ ratios. Neither of these measures differed when comparing responders and nonresponders to antidepressant treatment.