乙酰左旋肉鹼在體內自然產生，也作為營養補充劑被廣泛使用。研究發現，患有嚴重抑鬱症但對其他西藥治療效果不顯著的病人，或在生命早期便出現抑鬱症的人，血液中的乙酰左旋肉鹼含量特別低。
該研究結果於18年7月30日發表於“美國國家科學院院刊”上，以廣泛動物研究為基礎，輔以人體研究。它標誌著乙酰左旋肉鹼水平與抑鬱症之間的重大聯繫，這聯繫也可能適用於人類抑鬱症治療用途。他們指出，透過這原理製造的新型抗抑鬱藥，可以比現在普遍使用的藥物更安全有效和少副作用，而其顯效時間由數月縮短至1-2星期，對現時接受傳統治療效果不理想的人士特別重要。
Researchers Find a “Lack of acetyl-L-carnitine” in Cases of Major Depressive Disorder
People with depression have low blood levels of a substance called acetyl-L-carnitine, according to a Stanford University School of Medicine scientist and her collaborators in a multicenter study.
Naturally produced in the body, acetyl-L-carnitine is also widely available as a nutritional supplement. People with severe or treatment-resistant depression, or whose bouts of depression began earlier in life, have particularly low blood levels of the substance.
The findings, to be published online July 30 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, build on extensive animal research. They mark the first rigorous indication that the link between acetyl-L-carnitine levels and depression may apply to people, too. And they point the way to a new class of antidepressants that could be freer of side effects and faster-acting than those in use today, and that may help patients for whom existing treatments don't work or have stopped working.
More information: Carla Nasca el al., "Acetyl-l-carnitine deficiency in patients with major depressive disorder," PNAS (2018). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1801609115
