@article{ref1,
title="Is low folate a risk factor for depression? A meta-analysis and exploration of heterogeneity",
journal="Journal of epidemiology and community health",
year="2007",
author="Gilbody, Simon and Lightfoot, Tracy and Sheldon, Tony",
volume="61",
number="7",
pages="631-637",
abstract="Low folate has been causatively linked to depression, but research is contradictory. An association may arise due to chance, bias, confounding or reverse causality. A systematic review of observational studies which examined the association between depression and folate was conducted. 11 relevant studies (15 315 participants; three case-control studies, seven population surveys and one cohort study) examining the risk of depression in the presence of low folate were found. Pooling showed a significant relationship between folate status and depression (odds ratio (OR)(pooled unadjusted) = 1.55; 95% CI 1.26 to 1.91). This relationship remained after adjustment for potential confounding (OR)(pooled adjusted) = 1.42; 95% CI 1.10 to 1.83). Folate levels were also lower in depression. There is accumulating evidence that low folate status is associated with depression. Much of this evidence comes from case-control and cross-sectional studies. Cohort studies and definitive randomised-controlled trials to test the therapeutic benefit of folate are required to confirm or refute a causal relationship.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0143-005X",
doi="10.1136/jech.2006.050385",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech.2006.050385"
}