Year: 2007
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between subjective mood, folate status and homocysteine in healthy individuals. DESIGN: Subjective mood assessments were completed twice daily over the course of one week using the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). The PANAS is a validated scale which considers mood state on two distinct continua, one reflecting positive mood and the other negative mood, each requiring response to 10 adjectives on a Likert scale. A blood sample was taken on one occasion at the start of the week during which subjective mood was assessed and analysed for red-blood-cell (RBC) folate, serum folate and plasma homocysteine concentrations. SUBJECTS: Male volunteers aged 19-47 years (n = 58) were recruited from local industries. RESULTS: High concentrations of RBC folate were associated with less variability (lower standard deviation) in negative mood (P = 0.023). Subjective mood, however, was not related to serum folate or homocysteine. CONCLUSIONS: This study appears to be the first to uncover an association between long-term folate status and subjective mood (employing the PANAS) in healthy males. More research is needed to further explore the relationship between nutritional status and mood.
Source: Public Health Nutrition
Institution: University of Ulster
Language: English
Subfield: Rheumatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2169210782