Decreased glutathione levels and impaired antioxidant enzyme activities in drug-naive first-episode schizophrenic patients

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BMC Psychiatry
, 11:124
Psychotic disorders
Abstract
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to determine glutathione levels and antioxidant enzyme activities in the drug-naive first-episode patients with schizophrenia in comparison with healthy control subjects.
MethodsIt was a case-controlled study carried on twenty-three patients 20 men and 3 women, mean age = 29.3 ± 7.5 years recruited in their first-episode of schizophrenia and 40 healthy control subjects 36 men and 9 women, mean age = 29.6 ± 6.2 years. In patients, the blood samples were obtained prior to the initiation of neuroleptic treatments. Glutathione levels: total glutathione GSHt, reduced glutathione GSHr and oxidized glutathione GSSG and antioxidant enzyme activities: superoxide dismutase SOD, glutathione peroxidase GPx, catalase CAT were determined by spectrophotometry.
ResultsGSHt and reduced GSHr were significantly lower in patients than in controls, whereas GSSG was significantly higher in patients. GPx activity was significantly higher in patients compared to control subjects. CAT activity was significantly lower in patients, whereas the SOD activity was comparable to that of controls.
ConclusionThis is a report of decreased plasma levels of GSHt and GSHr, and impaired antioxidant enzyme activities in drug-naive first-episode patients with schizophrenia. The GSH deficit seems to be implicated in psychosis, and may be an important indirect biomarker of oxidative stress in schizophrenia early in the course of illness. Finally, our results provide support for further studies of the possible role of antioxidants as neuroprotective therapeutic strategies for schizophrenia from early stages.
AbbreviationsAODSAntioxidant defense system
CATCatalase
DSM-IV-TRDiagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
FESPFirst-episode-schizophrenic-patients
GPxGlutathione peroxidise
GSHrReduced glutathione
GSHtTotal glutathione
GSSGOxidized glutathione
MaxMaximum
MinMinimum
RBCRed blood cell
SANSScale for assessment of negative symptoms
SAPSScale for assessment of positive symptoms
SDStandard deviation
SODSuperoxide dismutase.
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Autor: Monia Raffa - Fatma Atig - Ahmed Mhalla - Abdelhamid Kerkeni - Anwar Mechri
Fuente: https://link.springer.com/