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Plasma Magnesium and Calcium in Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

D. Frizel ,
Alec Coppen  and
V. Marks
D. Frizel
Affiliation:
Neuropsychiatric Research Unit, Carshalton and West Park Hospital, Epsom, Surrey
Alec Coppen
Affiliation:
Area Laboratory, West Park Hospital, Epsom
V. Marks
Affiliation:
Neuropsychiatric Research Unit, Carshalton and West Park Hospital, Epsom, Surrey
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Extract

Recent investigations suggest that there may be an abnormality of calcium and magnesium in depressive illness. Flach (1964) followed the urinary excretion of calcium in depressed patients maintained on a constant intake of calcium before and during recovery. Those patients that recovered showed a significant decrease in the excretion of calcium. Coirault et al. (1959) reported an increase in ionized calcium and a decrease in total plasma calcium on recovery from depression. Cade (1964) reported considerably raised total plasma magnesium levels in depressed patients both before and after recovery. A connection between affective disorders and calcium metabolism is suggested by the common occurrence of such states in both hypo- and hypercalcaemia (Denco and Kaelbling, 1962; Rookus and Speelman, 1961). The present paper reports an investigation into total and ionized plasma calcium and magnesium in a group of depressed patients both before and after recovery. The effects of lithium carbonate, a compound used in the treatment and prophylaxis of affective disorders (Baastrup and Schou, 1967; Schou, 1963) on plasma concentrations of magnesium and calcium was also investigated.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 115 , Issue 529 , December 1969 , pp. 1375 - 1377
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1969 

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References

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