CSF inositol does not predict antidepressant response to inositol. Short communication

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Reduced cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) inositol levels have been linked to depression.
• Inositol has shown potential efficacy in treating depressive symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate CSF inositol levels in drug-free depressed patients compared to controls.
• To determine if CSF inositol levels predict treatment response to inositol in depression.

Main Methods:

• CSF inositol levels were measured in 18 depressed patients and 36 normal controls.
• Depressed patients underwent a 4-week open trial of 18 gm daily inositol treatment.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in pre-treatment CSF inositol was observed between depressed patients and controls.
• CSF inositol levels did not correlate with depression symptom reduction on the Hamilton Depression Scale after 4 weeks of treatment.

Conclusions:

• Pre-treatment CSF inositol levels do not appear to be a distinguishing factor in this cohort of depressed patients.
• CSF inositol levels are not predictive of treatment response to inositol supplementation in depression.