Table 1.
Characteristics of Control and MDD subjects.
| Parameter | Controls (n=16) | MDD (n=20) |
|---|---|---|
| Age (years) (range) | 52 ± 4 (27 – 80) | 55 ± 4 (20 – 87) |
|
| ||
| Gender (F:M) | 6:10 | 9:11 |
|
| ||
| PMI (hrs) (range) | 20.0 ± 1.4 (10 – 29) | 24.5 ± 1.7 (10 – 44) |
|
| ||
| Tissue pH (range) | 6.73 ± 0.07 (6.2 – 7.1) | 6.51 ± 0.07 (5.6 – 6.9) |
|
| ||
| RNA purity# (range) | 1.99 ± 0.03 (1.74 – 2.15) | 1.97 ± 0.03 (1.79 – 2.08) |
|
| ||
| TF (months) (range) | 97.9 ± 8.7 (34 – 133) | 92.8 ± 9.3 (19 – 141) |
| Cause of death | Cardiovascular disease (14); hemorrhagic pancreatitis (1); accidental CO asphyxiation (1) | Suicide (15); firearm (4); CO poisoning (5); hanging (3); drowning (1); fall from height (1); hyperkalemia (1) Other causes: cardiovascular disease (5) |
|
| ||
| Diagnosis | none | MDD (20); Comorbid Diagnoses (8): GAD (2); alcohol & cannabis abuse (1); anxiolytic abuse (1); anxiety disorder NOS (1); sexual disorder NOS (1); panic disorder with agoraphobia (1); pathological gambling (1) |
| Duration of MDD (years) (range) | not applicable | 12.5 ± 3.4 (0.2 – 62 years) |
| AD Medication Status* | none | 10 |
|
| ||
| Toxicology (Antidepressant drugs) | none | n=5 (fluoxetine 1; paroxetine 1; sertraline 2; venlafaxine 1) |
Data represent the mean ± S.E.M. AD – antidepressant; CO-carbon monoxide; GAD – generalized anxiety disorder; MDD-major depressive disorder; NOS – not otherwise specified; PMI-postmortem interval; TF-time in freezer;
RNA purity was determined by Nanodrop Spectrophotometry at multiple wavelengths, 260, 280 and 230. Ratio of 260/280 represents RNA purity. The standard for RNA purity is ratio of 2;
Prescription for antidepressants within 4 weeks prior to death. The average age (t=2.591, df=34, p=0.56), PMI (t=1.980, df=34, p=0.06) and TF (t=0.381, df=32, p=0.71) of subjects with MDD were not statistically different from the control subjects. However, brain tissue pH was significantly lower in depressed subjects (t=2.441, df=33, p=0.02).