Prefrontal glutathione levels in major depressive disorder are linked to a loss of positive mood

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders, with symptoms including persistent sadness and low mood. MDD is associated with neurochemical alterations in GABA, glutamate, and glutamine levels, but to date few studies have examined changes in glutathione (GSH) in MDD. This study investigated changes in GSH in a medication naïve group of participants with current and past depression, and healthy controls, and the link between GSH, stress markers, depressive symptoms and mood. We observed elevated prefrontal GSH in participants with current but not remitted depression, which was associated with a decrease in positive mood.