Depression and Nutritional Deficiency

Paper Summary:

This well-researched paper is a comparative analysis of the symptomatic cluster used by the DSM-IV in the establishment of an Axis I diagnosis of depression and the psychological symptoms associated with nutritional deficiencies. The writer of this in-depth paper examines numerous published studies and literature between 1995-2004 regarding deficiency symptoms of B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, magnesium and zinc and compares the findings with the psychological symptoms found in depression. While low self-esteem and suicidal tendencies were not listed in any of the texts, the writer contends that these were in fact substantiated when analyzing the studies detailed in this paper. This paper delves into the findings that prove magnesium and zinc deficiency may be involved in the psychopathology of suicide.

Table of Contents:
Abstract
Introduction
Nutritional Deficiencies and Depression
Nutrition, Culture and Depression
Nutrition and Rule-Out Diagnosis on DSM-IV Axis III
Review of Literature
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid)
Magnesium (Mg)
Zinc (Zn)
Summary
References

From the Paper:

"Thiamin is a water-soluble vitamin with limited body storage capacities and must be replenished regularly through the diet. It acts as a coenzyme in the oxidative metabolism of glucose and partakes with niacin and riboflavin in glucose oxidation to yield useful metabolic energy in the form of adenoside-tri-phospate (ATP). The nervous tissue is dependent solely on glucose for energy and as such these tissues are very sensitive to fluctuation in thiamin levels. Thiamin's role as a cofactor in conversion of glucose to sugars may explain why a diet high in carbohydrate could deplete the thiamin reserve. Classic thiamin deficiency, beriberi, is rare, whereas Wernicke-Korskoff Syndrome, a condition often found in alcoholics, is commonly encountered as clinical manifestation of B1 deficiency."

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