CoQ10 in Geriatric Bipolar Depression (CoQ10)

Oral Administration of CoQ10 and Phosphorus-31 Magnetization Transfer Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Geriatric Bipolar Disorder and Healthy Older Adults

We propose to study and compare measures of brain energy metabolism in geriatric bipolar individuals and healthy older adults. We would also like to investigate changes in brain energy metabolites and in vivo creatine kinase (CK) enzymatic activity associated with CoQ10 administration in older bipolar individuals.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Bipolar Depression
• Intervention / Treatment: Drug: CoEnzyme Q10

Detailed Description

Hypotheses

1. At baseline, the forward rate constant (kfor) of CK enzymatic activity in the frontal lobe of older subjects with bipolar depression will be significantly decreased relative to that of age-matched healthy controls.
2. After 8 weeks of treatment, bipolar depression subjects will demonstrate an increase in the kfor of CK after 8 weeks of CoQ 10 treatment.
3. Increases in the CK forward rate constant (kfor) will correlate with improvement in subjects' mood state as assessed by the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS).
4. Baseline measures of executive functioning and information processing speed (measured by performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Trails A and B and Stroop tests) will be impaired in subjects with geriatric bipolar depression compared with healthy controls. These measures will improve with successful treatment with CoQ10 and correlate with increases in the CK forward rate constant (kfor).

Summary:

A review of literature suggests a distinct pattern of bioenergetic changes, possibly related to mitochondrial dysfunction and abnormal CK function, in older adults and in individuals with bipolar disorder. As opposed to rudimentary measurements of static metabolite concentrations, the novel use of MT-MRS in such individuals will offer insight into the enzyme kinetics of CK, specifically examining the rate at which ATP is formed from PCr. From previous investigations it would seem that the dietary-supplement, CoQ10, is able to improve the efficiency of mitochondrial function in subjects with altered bioenergetics. We propose to measure CK activity and PCr turnover rate before and after CoQ10 treatment, with the overall aim of understanding metabolic relationships between brain bioenergetic alterations and treatment with CoQ10 in geriatric bipolar depression.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 42
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Belmont, Massachusetts, United States, 02478
      • McLean Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 51 years to 85 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 55 years or older
• Meet DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for Bipolar Disorder, Current Episode Depressed
• Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) Score of >20
• If the MADRS score is <20 but >16, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, current episode depressed, based on the Structured Clinical Interview of DSM IV TR (SCID) and Dr. Forester's initial interview would allow the subject to be included in the study.
• Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) Score of < 6
• If the YMRS score is >6 subjects can still be admitted if subjects do not meet clinical criteria for mania or hypomania at the time of screening
• Able to provide informed consent
• Must speak English
• Must be able to visit McLean Hospital for the screening visit and six study visits during the 8-week duration of the study
• Subjects may be taking other medications for bipolar depression including antidepressants, mood stabilizers and antipsychotic mediations prior to Co-Q10 therapy, but may not have any dosage adjustments of these medications in the week before Co-Q10 is added.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Serious or unstable medical illness, including cardiovascular, hepatic, renal, respiratory, endocrine, neurologic or hematologic disease
• History of seizure disorder,
• History or current diagnosis of the following psychiatric illnesses: any organic mental disorder (including dementia), schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, delusional disorder, psychotic disorder not otherwise specified, unipolar major depressive disorder, patients with substance dependence disorders, including alcohol, active within the last 12 months.
• History of drug hypersensitivity or intolerance to Coenzyme Q10.
• Use of medications that are excluded in this study (barbiturates; however, the use of non-benzodiazepine sedative hypnotics (such as zolpidem (Ambien)) may be used as needed except within 12 hours of the MRI scan)
• Benzodiazepines may be used by subjects throughout the study as long as they are not taken within 12 hours of any MRI scan.
• Subjects diagnosed with a mitochondrial disorder.
• Subjects taking other putative mitochondrial enhancers (e.g., vitamin E, carnitine, creatine, Vitamin complex B, pramipexole) at the time of study entry.
• Any of the exclusion criteria mentioned in the MRI risks section below

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: CoEnzyme Q10; Open Label Study	Drug: CoEnzyme Q10; CoEnzyme Q10 with dosage range from 400 mg to 1200 mg per day
No Intervention: Healthy Controls; Healthy controls completed all study procedures completed by the CoQ10 group but did not receive any study medication.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
We Measured the Change in Rate Constant of Creatine Kinase in Individuals With Bipolar Depression Treated With CoQ 10 as Compared With Age and Gender Matched Controls. These Rate Constants Were Calculated Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).	The rate constant for creatine kinase is a measurement of the reaction rate ADP+PCr <---> ATP + Cr, which is catalyzed by the enzyme creatine kinase. The rate constant shows the direction and magnitude of the reaction at equilibrium. A higher rate constant indicates a higher rate constant of the CK enzyme, meaning, more efficient/rapid conversion of PCr to ATP through the creatine kinase enzymatic reaction in tissues with high and fluctuating energy demands such as brain and muscle tissue. As the value is a reaction rate, there are no associated units.	8 week trial

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
We Measured Response to Treatment of Depression (Using the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale)in Older Adults With Bipolar Disorder After an 8 Week Trial of CoQ10.	The Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) is a 10 question questionnaire which assesses symptom severity of depression. The score is on a 0-60 scale with higher numbers indicating more severe depressive symptoms. The score is represented as a number of points. Clinical improvement following treatment with CoQ10 supplement was only tested in the Bipolar subject cohort, not in healthy controls, therefore outcome data only apply to the bipolar group.	8 week trial

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mclean Hospital
• Collaborators: National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Brent P Forester, MD, McLean Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: July 1, 2008
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2010
• Study Completion (Actual): March 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 18, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 18, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): July 22, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 13, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 26, 2013
• Last Verified: November 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: elderly; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Bipolar depression; Coenzyme Q10
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Mental Disorders; Mood Disorders; Bipolar and Related Disorders; Depression; Depressive Disorder; Bipolar Disorder; Physiological Effects of Drugs; Micronutrients; Vitamins; Coenzyme Q10; Ubiquinone
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2008-P-000738/1