Development of a novel biomarker and treatment for major depressive disorder focusing on the ethanolamine in the cerebrospinal fluid

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19792
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Psychiatric science
• Research Institution: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: OGAWA Shintaro 国立研究開発法人国立精神・神経医療研究センター, 神経研究所 疾病研究第三部, 流動研究員 (00756984)
• Research Collaborator: KUNUGI Hiroshi ; HATTORI Kotaro ; OTA Miho ; MATSUO Junko ; CHIBA Shuichi
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: エタノールアミン / 脳脊髄液 / バイオマーカー / 大うつ病性障害 / 統合失調症 / 双極性障害 / プラズマローゲン / アミノ酸

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study revealed that CSF ethanolamine plays important roles among several psychiatric diseases as well as MDD. Also, its usefullness as a state-dependent marker for MDD was shown. The relationships between CSF ethanolamine concentrations and white matter density or cognitive functions were significant. In animal experiments, repeated doses of lipopolysaccharide were administered to rats and showed significantly decreased CSF ethanolamine levels, and this can be considered a suitable model for MDD with construct validity. For establishing a novel treatment for MDD, we administered to rats AIN-93M supplemented with ethanolamine plasmalogen for 4 weeks. Results showed a significant decrease of anxiety-like behaviors and an increase of CSF ethanolamine concentrations in the rats. This study demonstrated that the feasibility of CSF ethanolamine as a biomarker for psychiatric disorders and that CSF ethanolamine may serve to develop novel treatments for psychiatric disorders.

Free Research Field

精神医学