Exacerbation of mood symptoms associated to primary and secondary carnitine deficiency: a case report

Bol Asoc Med P R. 2013;105(3):43-4.

Abstract

Rarely screened in psychiatric patients, primary and/or secondary Carnitine deficiency could be influencing and/or mimicking the mood symptoms of our patient population. The brain and specifically neurons are highly vulnerable to impairments in oxidative metabolism, which can lead to neuronal cell death and disorders of neurotransmitters causing changes in cognition and behavior. For this reason, identification of this disorder is important since its treatment could result in symptom improvement and better quality of life of our patients. We present a case where exacerbation of mood symptoms was associated to primary and secondary Carnitine deficiency.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antidepressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antimanic Agents / adverse effects*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / blood
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / complications*
  • Benzodiazepines / therapeutic use
  • Carnitine / deficiency*
  • Carnitine / therapeutic use
  • Citalopram / therapeutic use
  • Depressive Disorder / complications
  • Depressive Disorder / drug therapy
  • Disruptive, Impulse Control, and Conduct Disorders / complications
  • Drug Substitution
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Humans
  • Hyperammonemia / chemically induced
  • Hyperammonemia / genetics
  • Hyperammonemia / psychology*
  • Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Lorazepam / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Mood Disorders / blood
  • Mood Disorders / complications*
  • Olanzapine
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins / deficiency*
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Solute Carrier Family 22 Member 5
  • Valproic Acid / adverse effects*
  • Valproic Acid / pharmacology
  • Valproic Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents
  • Antimanic Agents
  • Organic Cation Transport Proteins
  • SLC22A5 protein, human
  • Solute Carrier Family 22 Member 5
  • Citalopram
  • Benzodiazepines
  • Valproic Acid
  • Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex
  • Olanzapine
  • Lorazepam
  • Carnitine