Is treatment resistant depression related to vitamin B9?
['Suboptimal serum and red blood cell folate levels have been associated with a poorer response to antidepressant therapy, a greater severity of symptoms, later onset of clinical improvement, and overall treatment resistance. This article reviews the evidence for L-methylfolate and folic acid as antidepressive agents in depression and discusses their clinical use', 'Although further randomized controlled trials in this area appear warranted, SAMe and L-methylfolate may represent a useful addition to the AD armamentarium.', 'Patients with depression have consistently been found to have lower levels of serum and red blood cell folate than normal or nondepressed psychiatric patients. Decreased folate levels have been associated with lowered response rates to standard antidepressant pharmacotherapy. Recent studies have shown that augmentation with a folate supplement increases medication response in both treatment-naïve and treatment-resistant depressed patients irrespective of whether there is folate deficiency.', 'Depressed patients with both low and normal folate levels may benefit from augmenting a primary antidepressant medication either initially, at the onset of treatment, or later after some degree of treatment resistance has been recognized.', 'The results of this study suggest that intake of vitamin B9 may modulate the total score of Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and two subscales of the CES-D including depressive affect and interpersonal difficulties.', 'The results of this study suggest that intake of vitamin B9 may modulate the total score of Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and two subscales of the CES-D including depressive affect and interpersonal difficulties. ', 'This article reviews the metabolic and clinical importance of folate, vitamin B12, and SAMe, as well as clinical trials in relation to depression and dementia', 'In particular, vitamins B1, B3, B6, B9 and B12 are essential for neuronal function and deficiencies have been linked to depression.']
['Treatment with SAMe, as well as with various formulations of folates and analogues, appears to be efficacious and well tolerated in reducing depressive symptoms in treatment resistant depression.']
['yes']