Effect of Therapeutic Intervention on Salivary Alpha Amylase and Serum Lipid Profile in Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract

Major depressive disorder is a psychosocial as well as public health burden. High salivary alpha amylase (sAA) level and dyslipidemia have been observed in few occasions among major depressive disorder (MDD) patients. A hospital based longitudinal study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Burdwan Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal, India, to determine changes in salivary alpha amylase and serum lipid profile before and after therapeutic intervention in MDD patients. The study included a total of 50 major depressive disorder patients selected purposively. We included newly diagnosed drug naive patient of MDD aged between 20 and 50 years. Exclusion criteria were: presence of serious medical illness like HIV, Cancer, CKD etc. (assessed through physical examination and routine laboratory screening), any history of drug abuse and presence of another pre- or co-existing major psychiatric disorders, e.g., schizophrenia, panic attack, post traumatic stress disorders, etc. Drug naïve newly diagnosed MDD patients, with gradual improvement of their depressive status [assessed by HDR-S (p<0.001) and CGI-S (p<0.001) at 6 and 12 weeks both] by therapeutic interventions showed significant decrease in sAA level (p<0.001) and increasing and decreasing trend in HDL-C (p<0.001) and LDL-C (p<0.01) level respectively. The only significant negative correlation was found between HDL-C level and salivary alpha amylase (sAA) level (r=–0.291; p<0.05) after 12 weeks of treatment. Salivary alpha amylase and serum lipid profile can be used as biochemical indicators in major depressive disorder patients.

International Journal of Human and Health Sciences Vol. 10 No. 03 Jul’26 Page: 193-198