Plasma Levels of 3-Methoxy-4-Hydroxyphenylglycol in Depressed Patients Compared with Normal Controls

Abstract

Plasma levels of total 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were measured in a group of 104 hospitalized depressed patients and a group of 104 age- and sex-matched normal controls. Plasma MHPG levels were found to be normally distributed in both groups and significantly lower in depressives than in controls. However, this difference could be related to an increase in plasma MHPG levels with age found in controls (r = 0.601, d.f. = 102, p < 0.01) but not in depressives (r = 0.013, d.f. = 102, NS). Men had significantly higher levels than women in both groups. There was no significant difference in plasma MHPG levels among any DSM-III-R diagnostic subgroups of depressives or between patients who were suppressors on the dexamethasone suppression test and those who were nonsuppressors. Significant correlations were found between AMDP Depression Rating Scale item and total scores and levels of plasma MHPG. Age, sex and clinical symptoms appeared to be main sources of variance in studying depressed patients and comparing them with normal controls.

Saliva levels of 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol and clinical efficacy of mirtazapine or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in patients with major depression

“…This is the first report to show a higher sMHPG level in patients with MDD compared with age‐matched healthy controls. Previous reports indicated that high urinary excretion of MHPG was found in MDD patients with no family history of depression (Garvey and Tuason, ), with higher perceptions of helplessness and powerlessness on the Kobasa Hardiness Questionnaire (Samson et al ., ), with severe self‐rated depression in abstinent alcoholics (Heinz et al ., ), with elevated urinary free cortisol levels (Rosenbaum et al ., ), and with high Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry Depression Rating Scale items (Azorin et al ., ). These reports indicated that patients with a psychological stress‐induced depressive state might show high levels of MHPG in biological fluids.…”

“…Several studies have identified abnormalities in the noradrenergic system in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, inconsistent results in biological fluid levels of 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), a noradrenaline metabolite, have been reported, with different reports showing that MHPG levels are high, low, or unchanged in patients with MDD compared with healthy controls (Vestergaard et al ., ; Koslow et al ., ; Asberg et al ., ; Azorin et al ., ; Geracioti et al ., ). Methodological differences between studies or the clinical heterogeneity of depressed patients may help explain these inconsistent results.…”

Data-driven biological subtypes of depression: systematic review of biological approaches to depression subtyping

“…One study found an unimodal distributions for 5-HIAA in a depressive sample [45]. Two studies identified a cluster with low levels of 5-HIAA and homovanillic acid (HVA, a major catecholamine metabolite) [43,44] Four studies also found a unimodal distribution for both CSF and urinary 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl glycol (HMPG, principal norepinephrine metabolite) [43,[45][46][47][48]. A study that measured 5-HIAA, HVA, and HMPG in CSF and epinephrine, norepinephrine, metanephrine, normetanephrine, and vanillymandelic acid in urine found two clusters.…”

Association of saliva 3‐methoxy‐4‐hydroxyphenylglycol levels and a later depressive state in older subjects living in a rural community: 3‐year follow‐up study

“…Several cross‐sectional studies have shown increased biological fluid levels of MHPG in patients with some type of depressive disorder. Depressed patients without a family history of depression (Garvey and Tuason, ), those with high total powerlessness scores as well as low total hardiness scores on the Kobasa Hardiness Questionnaire (Samson et al , ), with severe self‐rated depression in abstinent alcoholics (Heinz et al , ) and with high Association for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry Depression Rating Scale items (Azorin et al , ) were reported to have higher MHPG levels in biological fluid than healthy controls.…”