Plasma redox and inflammatory patterns during major depressive episodes: A cross-sectional investigation in elderly patients with mood disorders

Objective: While both depression and aging have been associated with oxidative stress and 20 impaired immune response, little is known about redox patterns in elderly depressed subjects. 21 This study investigates the relationship between redox/inflammatory patterns and depression in a 22 sample of elderly adults. Methods: The plasma levels of the advanced products of protein 23 oxidation (AOPP), catalase (CAT), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), glutathione 24 transferase (GST), interleukin 6 (IL-6), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total thiols (TT) and uric 25 acid (UA) were evaluated in 30 patients with mood disorders with a current depressive episode 26 (depressed patients, DP) as well as in 30 healthy controls (HC) aged 65 years and over. Subjects were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), the Hamilton Rating Scale 28 for Anxiety (HAM-A), the Geriatric Depression Rating Scale (GDS), the Scale for Suicide 29 Ideation (SSI), the Reason for Living Inventory (RFL), the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and 30 the Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL). Results: DP showed higher levels than HC of 31 AOPP and IL-6, while displaying lower levels of FRAP, TT and CAT. In the DP group, specific 32 correlations were found among biochemical parameters. SOD, FRAP, UA and TT levels were 33 also significantly related to psychometric scale scores. Conclusion: specific alterations of redox 34 systems are detectable among elderly depressed patients.