Cited by 711Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative StressTryptophan and brain disordersStress Responses and Cortisol

Is depression associated with increased oxidative stress? A systematic review and meta-analysis

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Black, Catherine N., Bot, Mariska, Scheffer, Peter G., Cuijpers, Pim, Penninx, Brenda W.J.H.·2015·Psychoneuroendocrinology

Abstract

Background It has been suggested that depressed persons have increased oxidative stress and decreased anti-oxidant defences. 8-Hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and F2-isoprostanes, measures of oxidative DNA and lipid damage respectively, are among the most reliable oxidative stress markers, but studies on their association with depression show conflicting results. This meta-analysis quantifies the association between depression and these markers and explores factors that may explain inconsistencies in the results.Methods A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE and PsycINFO. Studies assessing the association of 8-OHdG or F2-isoprostanes with elevated depressive symptoms, major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD) were pooled in two random-effect models.Results The pooled effect size (Hedges' g) for the association of depression with oxidative stress was 0.31 (p=0.01, I(2)=75%) for 8-OHdG (10 studies, 1308 subjects) and 0.48 (p=0.001, I(2)=73%) for F2-isoprostanes (8 studies, 2471 subjects), indicating that both markers are increased in depression. There was no indication of publication bias for either marker. The F2-isoprostane results did not differ by type of depression, biological specimen, laboratory method or quality, however subgroup analyses in the 8-OHdG studies showed significantly stronger associations in plasma/serum vs. urine samples (p<0.01), in measurements performed with immuno-assay vs. chromatography-mass spectrometry (p<0.01) and weaker associations in high quality studies vs. low (p=0.02).Conclusion This meta-analysis finds that oxidative stress, as measured by 8-OHdG and F2-isoprostanes, is increased in depression. Larger-scale studies are needed to extend the evidence on oxidative stress in depression, and examine the potential impact of treatment.

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  1. Ceylan, D., Tuna, G., Kirkali, G., Tunca, Z., Dizdaronulllu, M., Can, G., Arat, E., Ozerdem, A., 2013. Increased oxidative base dam- age to DNA in bipolar disorder: a cross-sectional case control study. Bipolar Disord. 15 (1), 55.

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Authors
Black, C. N., Bot, M., Scheffer, P. G., Cuijpers, P., & Penninx, B. W. J. H.
Affiliations
  • Amsterdam Public Health (NL)
  • Amsterdam UMC Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
Corresponding author
Black, Catherine N.
Venue
Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2015-01
Volume
51
Pages
164-175
ISSN
0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2120423982
Cited by
711
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 61 · 2024: 70 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 89 · 2021: 106 · 2020: 85 · 2019: 67 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 41 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 1
FWCI
2.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Amsterdam UMC (VU Amsterdam) - Institutional Repository (publishedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Vanderbilt University
  • Northwestern University
  • University of Minnesota
  • National Center for Global Health and Medicine
  • Vanderbilt University Medical Center
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
  • GGZ inGeest
  • University of California, San Francisco
  • Walter H. Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
Keywords
depression, oxidative stress, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, F2-isoprostanes, oxidative DNA damage, lipid peroxidation, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, antioxidant defense, oxidative stress biomarkers
MeSH terms
8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine, Bipolar Disorder, Deoxyguanosine, Depression, Major Depressive Disorder, Humans, Biomarkers, Oxidative Stress, F2-Isoprostanes

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