Depression and Oxidative Stress: Results From a Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Open accessAbstract
OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis that quantitatively tests and summarizes the hypothesis that depression results in elevated oxidative stress and lower antioxidant levels. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis of studies that reported an association between depression and oxidative stress and/or antioxidant status markers. PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched for articles published from January 1980 through December 2012. A random-effects model, weighted by inverse variance, was performed to pool standard deviation (Cohen's d) effect size estimates across studies for oxidative stress and antioxidant status measures, separately. RESULTS: Twenty-three studies with 4980 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Depression was most commonly measured using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria. A Cohen's d effect size of 0.55 (95% confidence interval = 0.47-0.63) was found for the association between depression and oxidative stress, indicating a roughly 0.55 of 1-standard-deviation increase in oxidative stress among individuals with depression compared with those without depression. The results of the studies displayed significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 80.0%, p < .001). A statistically significant effect was also observed for the association between depression and antioxidant status markers (Cohen's d = -0.24, 95% confidence interval = -0.33 to -0.15). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis observed an association between depression and oxidative stress and antioxidant status across many different studies. Differences in measures of depression and markers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status markers could account for the observed heterogeneity. These findings suggest that well-established associations between depression and poor heath outcomes may be mediated by high oxidative stress.
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In post-mortem hippocampus, damage to genetic material occurs in the cytoplasm of cells, affecting RNA more than DNA.
“In a post-mortem study of the hippocampus, it was proved that damage to the genetic material in this region occurs in the cytoplasm of cells, so it affects RNA more than DNA (Palta et al. 2014).”
From Reactive Oxygen Species, Toxicity, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidants: Chronic Diseases and Aging (2023) · cites this paper as Palta et al. 2014
Lipid peroxidation is an important component of the oxidative stress status observed in depression.
“it seems that lipid peroxidation is an important component of the oxidative stress status observed in depression [131].”
From Oxidative Stress Implications in the Affective Disorders: Main Biomarkers, Animal Models Relevance, Genetic Perspectives, and Antioxidant Approaches (2016) · cites this paper as [131]
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- Authors
- Palta, P., Samuel, L. J., Miller, E. R., & Szanton, S. L.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- Corresponding author
- Palta, Priya
- Venue
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Published
- 2014-01
- Volume
- 76
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 12-19
- ISSN
- 0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4290164
- OpenAlex
- W1977886842
- Cited by
- 277
- References
- 34
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 22 · 2014: 9
- FWCI
- 1.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (T32AG000247)
- National Institute of Nursing Research (F31NR012087)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (T32DK062707)
- 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, antioxidant status, oxidative stress biomarkers
- MeSH terms
- Depression, Humans, Oxidative Stress, Observational Studies as Topic
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