Abstract
Background
S-adenosyl-L-methionine is an effective treatment for clinical depression, although
the mechanism underlying this effect is unclear. Presently, in vivo phosphorus 31
magnetic resonance spectroscopy and brain transverse relaxometry were employed to
test if S-adenosyl-L-methionine supplementation alters brain bioenergetics and/or
transverse relaxation time in a nondepressed cohort. If these magnetic resonance techniques
are sensitive to S-adenosyl-L-methionine induced alterations in neurochemical processes,
these methods may be used in cases of clinical depression to elucidate the mechanism
underlying the antidepressant effect of S-adenosyl-L-methionine.
Methods
Twelve subjects self-administered 1600 mg of oral S-adenosyl-L-methionine daily. Phosphorus
31 spectra and transverse relaxation time were acquired at baseline and after treatment
using a 1.5 Tesla scanner.
Results
Mole percent concentrations of phosphocreatine were significantly higher after treatment,
whereas mole percent β nucleoside triphosphate levels, predominantly adenosine triphosphate
in brain, were significantly lower after treatment. In addition, a surprising gender
difference in transverse relaxation time emerged after supplementation, with women
exhibiting significantly lower transverse relaxation time than men.
Conclusions
The alterations in phosphocreatine and β nucleoside triphosphate are consistent with
the report that S-adenosyl-L-methionine is involved in the production of creatine,
which in turn is phosphorylated to phosphocreatine using adenosine triphosphate. These
findings suggest that S-adenosyl-L-methionine alters parameters associated with cerebral
bioenergetic status and that some effects of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (transverse relaxation
time) occur in a gender-specific manner.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
December 20,
2002
Received in revised form:
December 17,
2002
Received:
September 20,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
