Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38738141›Full record

ArticleCureus2024

Discovery of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) Deficiency in Individuals With Common Psychiatric Comorbidities: A Retrospective Case Review.

Samira Khan, Abeera Naeem, Alexia Fritts, Melissa Cummins, Caroline Kayes, Wei Fang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. The Role of GCH1 Deficiency and Tetrahydrobiopterin in Mental Health.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Samira KhanBehavioral Health, West Virginia University (WVU) Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg, USA.
Abeera NaeemBehavioral Health and Psychiatry, West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg, USA.
Alexia FrittsBehavioral Health, West Virginia University (WVU) Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg, USA.
Melissa CumminsBehavioral Health, West Virginia University (WVU) Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg, USA.
Caroline KayesBehavioral Health, West Virginia University (WVU) Berkeley Medical Center, Martinsburg, USA.
Wei FangStatistics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionA retrospective analysis was conducted of a data set collected in an outpatient behavioral health clinic to assess medication metabolism and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and to see if there was a correlation with certain diagnoses and/or gender.

methodThe outpatient routine completed genetic testing on their patients and the test results were later collected through a third-party company, which completed the pharmacogenomic test analyzing genetic variations in DNA, medication metabolism, and an MTHFR deficiency.

resultsThis study reviewed 186 patients seen in an outpatient setting who were tested for an MTHFR deficiency and compared their psychiatric diagnoses and the number of failed medication attempts. Of those 186 patients, 77 had normal MTHFR enzyme function, 85 were found to have a moderate MTHFR deficiency, and 24 had a severe MTHFR deficiency. Those with a severe MTHFR deficiency had a higher number of medication trials as compared to those without the deficiency and there were overall more patients with a moderate MTHFR deficiency in this data set.

conclusionCurrently, MTHFR deficiency is not commonly tested due to lack of insurance coverage and provider knowledge, and due to the cost of the test itself. Thus, the diagnosis can often be missed.

Indexed as

folic acid supplementationgenetic testmethylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (mthfr) genemood symptomspsychiatry & mental health

Identifiers

PMID38738141
PMCPMC11088868

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.