Photo by Cherry Laithang on Unsplash.
A new study published in PNAS has uncovered a critical biomarker of depression and a promising treatment method based on the body’s levels of a single molecule called acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC). This molecule’s main job is to help transport fatty acids into mitochondria; in effect, it helps provide cells with energy. By comparing the blood levels of 71 depressed individuals and 45 healthy individuals, it was discovered that ALC levels were significantly lower in those suffering from depression. Not only that, but the more depressed the individual was, the lower their ALC levels.
Depression affects nearly 10% of the population at a given time, and one in four adults will experience a major depressive episode at some point in their lifetime. Although sadness is a major symptom of depression, it’s not the only way that it manifests. Rather, depression is a pervasive and persistent experience of symptoms such as a loss of energy, difficulty thinking, a loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities, as well as a sense of sadness.
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I want my molecule back!
OK, this was only a relatively small study but it indicates a move in the right direction.
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