Elevated levels of cerebrospinal fluid neuron-specific enolase (NSE), but not S100B in major depressive disorder. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Schmidt, Frank Martin; Mergl, Roland; Stach, Barbara; Jahn, Ina; Schönknecht, Peter
• Is Part Of: World journal of biological psychiatry. Volume 16:Number 2(2015)
• Page Start: 106
• Page End: 113
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: Biological psychiatry -- Periodicals; Biological Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2014.952776
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1562-2975

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Objectives.</italic> Alterations in neuronal and glial integrity are considered to be of pathogenic impact on major depressive disorder (MDD). For MDD, data on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) are lacking and scarce for glial protein S100B. <italic>Methods.</italic> We measured CSF levels of NSE and S100B in 31 patients with MDD and 32 mentally healthy controls using electrochemiluminescence immunoassays (ECLIA). <italic>Results.</italic> Adjusted means of NSE were significantly elevated in the MDD patients (11.73 ng/ml (9.95–13.52 95% CI) compared to the controls (6.17 ng/ml (4.55–7.78), <italic>F</italic> = 9.037, <italic>P</italic> = 0.004. Effect size for adjusted mean group difference of 5.57 ng/ml was found invariably high (Cohen's <italic>d</italic> = 1.23). Differentiating MDD from controls, a NSE cut-off of 7.94 ng/ml showed sensitivity of 81% (95% CI 63.7–90.8) and specificity of 75% (95% CI 57.9–86.7). Adjusted levels of S100B did not differ significantly between the two groups (1.12 ng/ml (0.77–1.48) in MDD, 0.97 ng/ml (0.64–1.30) in controls). <italic>Conclusions.</italic> Our results of elevated CSF-NSE levels support neuronal pathology in MDD and the potential use of CSF-NSE as marker in clinical diagnostics. Missing group differences in S100B do not promote a specific glial pathology in depressive disorders.</p> </abstract>