This work aims to be a reflection concerning a remarkable similarity between platelet and neuron. Through a series of experimental tests which have affected the fatty acid composition of the membrane of platelets, it was possible to provide a contribution to the scientific literature, which had already reported strong similarities between platelet and neuron. The work performed could be of great interest to investigate, by studying the interactome of the platelet, the molecular behavior of the neuron.

Cell membrane's fatty acids (FAs) have been carefully investigated in neurons and platelets in order to study a possible connection to psychopathologies. An important link between the FA distribution and membrane dynamics appears to emerge with the cytoskeleton dynamics. Microtubules (MTs) in particular have been implicated in some recent quantum consciousness models and analyses. The recently proposed quantum model of Craddock et al. (2014) states that MTs possess structural and functional characteristics that are consistent with collective quantum coherent excitations in the aromatic groups of their tryptophan residues. These excitations are consistent with a clocking mechanism on a sub-nanosecond scale. This mechanism and analogous phenomena in light-harvesting complexes in plants and bacteria, are induced by photons and have been touted as evidence of quantum processes in biology. A possible source of intra-cellular photons could be membrane lipid peroxidation processes, so the FA profile could then be linked to the bio-photon emission. The model presented here suggests new ways to understand the role serotonin plays in relation to FAs. In plants, tryptophan conversion of light to exciton energy can participate in the directional orientation of leaves toward sunlight. Since serotonin is structurally similar to tryptophan, in the human brain, neurons could use tryptophan to capture photons and also use serotonin to initiate movement toward the source of light. Hence, we postulate two possible new roles for serotonin: (1) as an antioxidant, in order to counter-balance the oxidative effect of FAs, and (2) to participate in quantum interactions with MTs, in the same way as anesthetics and psychoactive compounds have been recently shown to act. In this latter case, the FA profile could provide an indirect measure of serotonin levels.

Aim of the study: The main purpose of this work was to verify, through the study of three fatty acids of platelets (namely: Palmitic Acid-PA, Linoleic Acid-LA, Arachidonic Acid-AA) the ability to distinguish adult subjects with Major Depression (MD) from those with Bipolar Disorder (BD), using an artificial neural network (Self Organizing Map-SOM) and an indirect index of the viscosity of the membrane (B2), in agreement with previous results; secondly, the ability to understand any similarities between children and adults in the molecular characterization of mood disorders, both in general and in relation to a subset of individuals with suicidal ideation, indicated by the survey instruments used (SOM). Design: The study design, in order to achieve the objectives, has forecast the recruitment of three groups of subjects without regard to sex, age, food intake patterns, or pharmacological therapies: 1) Controls; 2) Subjects with Major Depression; 3) Subjects with Bipolar Disorder. They were provided for the following investigations: 1) Platelet Fatty Acids analysis; 2) Plasma and platelet serotonin levels; 3) Oxidative stress and inflammation markers. * Corresponding authors. S. Benedetti et al. 53Moreover, the data of the fatty acids of platelets, previously obtained by a group of children were used, for comparison, in the SOM, with adults surveyed. Subjects participating in the study: All participants, volunteer, were recruited in the judgment of psychiatrists as they presented themselves to the office visit of the "Dipartimento di Salute Mentale", ASUR 4, Fano, Italy. All subjects were submitted to a semi-structured interview based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI), Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), and Hypomania/Mania Symptom Checklist (HCL-32) were also applied to each patient. Adult subjects who did not give consent, patients with a diagnosis other than an affective disorder and subjects in their first clinical episode were excluded. The study was double blind. Outcomes: The results obtained have confirmed the main objective of the study. It was possible to obtain, in fact, the recognition of individuals with Major Depression and Bipolar Disorder, using the SOM and the index B2. Value of the study: The methodology used in this study may be of utility, such as quantitative diagnostic support to the psychiatrist, in order to reduce the high error that occurs in the first diagnosis, with regard to mood disorders. Limitations of this study: The limitations of this study are mainly related to the number of controls. They should have been more numerous such as the number of suicidal ideations. About the comparison with children, the main limitation seems to be the lack of psychiatric diagnosis of children, so that any results just assume the value of hypotheses. Future Research: Because of the strong classificatory properties of the SOM, it would require a RCT in a larger sample of subjects with mood dis...

It has long been known that the most important function of platelets is to stop the flow of blood from wounds with the help of a set of enzymes, proteins, and lipids supporting complex metabolic clot-forming mechanisms. It is also known that there are close correlations, both enzymatic and metabolic, between platelets and nerve cells with respect to the metabolism of several neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, GABA, etc. Platelets, which serve an historic role as biological markers in psychiatry, can in fact be regarded as virtual "circulating neurons" or "brain ambassadors" that may offer a significant advantage in understanding the neurophysiology of psychiatric disorders including depression. Critical points of potential specific linkage between platelets and depression include serotonin and membrane platelet fatty acids in relation to the cytoskeletal quantum-nanowire network. This paper advances an "interactome" hypothesis of possible connections among enterochromaffin cells, serotonin, platelets and cytoskeletal proteins related to brain neurons with implications regarding the genesis of depressive psychopathology.