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Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1990 Dec;53(12):1096–1098. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.53.12.1096

Cerebrospinal fluid S-adenosylmethionine in depression and dementia: effects of treatment with parenteral and oral S-adenosylmethionine.

T Bottiglieri 1, P Godfrey 1, T Flynn 1, M W Carney 1, B K Toone 1, E H Reynolds 1
PMCID: PMC488323  PMID: 2292704

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) levels were significantly lower in severely depressed patients than in a neurological control group. The administration of SAM either intravenously or orally is associated with a significant rise of CSF SAM, indicating that it crosses the blood-brain barrier in humans. These observations provide a rational basis for the antidepressant effect of SAM, which has been confirmed in several countries. CSF SAM levels were low in a group of patients with Alzheimer's dementia suggesting a possible disturbance of methylation in such patients and the need for trials of SAM treatment.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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