July 18, 2018

expert reaction to study on consumption of nitrated meat products and manic episodes

A new study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, investigates consumption of nitrated meat products and manic episodes.

Prof Anthony Cleare, Consultant Psychiatrist and Professor of Psychopharmacology and Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London (IoPPN), said:

“Whilst welcome as a novel finding in the field, this is very preliminary work.  We’d need much more evidence of a link before making any recommendations to patients or the public in relation to the risk of eating cured meat and developing mania.”

* ‘Nitrated meat products are associated with mania in humans and altered behavior and brain gene expression in rats’ by Seva Khambadkone et al. published in Molecular Psychiatry on Wednesday 18th July.

Declared interests

None received.