scholarly journals Relationship between TNF-α levels and psychiatric symptoms in first-episode drug-naïve patients with schizophrenia before and after risperidone treatment and in chronic patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chen Lin ◽  
Ke Chen ◽  
Jianjin Yu ◽  
Wei Feng ◽  
Weihong Fu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
Factor Α

Abstract Background The influence of antipsychotic drugs on tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels is unclear, and there is no consensus on the association between TNF-α and psychotic symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the differences in TNF-α levels and clinical correlations in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) patients with schizophrenia before and after treatment and in chronic patients. Methods A total of 103 (51 FEDN and 52 chronic) patients and 114 healthy controls were recruited. Demographic and clinical data, including TNF-α levels, were recorded. We used the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) to measure the psychopathology of all patients. Results TNF-α levels before treatment were significantly higher in FEDN patients than in chronic patients and healthy controls. No significant sex differences were found in the TNF-α levels of patients with schizophrenia. The TNF-α levels before treatment were significantly positively related to changes in PANSS negative symptoms in FEDN patients. The TNF-α levels in chronic patients were significantly negatively correlated with the general psychopathology subscales and PANSS total scores. Conclusions Increased TNF-α levels in FEDN patients and their correlation with psychopathology indicate that inflammatory cytokines may play a crucial role in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia, and inflammation-directed therapy may, therefore, improve negative symptoms.

scholarly journals Sex Difference in the Interrelationship Between TNF-α and Oxidative Stress Status in First-episode Drug-naïve Schizophrenia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minghuan Zhu ◽  
Zhenjing Liu ◽  
Jaelin Rippe ◽  
Mst. Sadia Sultana ◽  
Kang Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sex Difference ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

Abstract BackgroundIncreasing evidence indicates that dysregulated TNF-α and oxidative stress (OxS) contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Additionally, previous evidence has demonstrated sex differences in many aspects of schizophrenia including clinical characteristics, cytokines and OxS markers. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study investigating sex differences in the association between TNF-α, the OxS system, and their interaction with clinical symptoms in schizophrenia patients, especially in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) patients. MethodsA total of 119 FEDN schizophrenia patients and 135 healthy controls were recruited for this study. Serum TNF-α, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was applied to evaluate psychotic symptoms. Two-way ANOVA, partial correlation analysis and multivariate regression analysis were performed. ResultsA sex difference in MDA levels was demonstrated only in healthy controls (F = 7.06, p Bonferroni = 0.045) and not seen in patients. Furthermore, only male patients had higher MDA levels than male controls (F = 8.19, p Bonferroni = 0.03). Additionally, sex differences were observed in the association of TNF-α and MDA levels with psychotic symptoms (all pBonferroni<0.05). The interaction of TNF-α and MDA was only associated with general psychopathology symptom in male patients (B = -0.07, p = 0.02). ConclusionOur results demonstrate the sex difference in the relationship between TNF-α, MDA, and their interaction with psychopathological symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Sex difference in the interrelationship between TNF-α and oxidative stress status in first-episode drug-naïve schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minghuan Zhu ◽  
Zhenjing Liu ◽  
Yanhong Guo ◽  
Mst. Sadia Sultana ◽  
Kang Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sex Difference ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
Male Patients ◽  
And Oxidative Stress

Abstract Background Increasing evidence indicates that dysregulated TNF-α and oxidative stress (OxS) contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Additionally, previous evidence has demonstrated sex differences in many aspects of schizophrenia including clinical characteristics, cytokines, and OxS markers. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no study investigating sex differences in the association between TNF-α, the OxS system, and their interaction with clinical symptoms in schizophrenia patients, especially in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) patients. Methods A total of 119 FEDN schizophrenia patients and 135 healthy controls were recruited for this study. Serum TNF-α, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was applied to evaluate psychotic symptoms. Two-way ANOVA, partial correlation analysis, and multivariate regression analysis were performed. Results A sex difference in MDA levels was demonstrated only in healthy controls (F = 7.06, pBonferroni = 0.045) and not seen in patients. Furthermore, only male patients had higher MDA levels than male controls (F = 8.19, pBonferroni = 0.03). Additionally, sex differences were observed in the association of TNF-α and MDA levels with psychotic symptoms (all pBonferroni < 0.05). The interaction of TNF-α and MDA was only associated with general psychopathology symptom in male patients (B = − 0.07, p = 0.02). Conclusion Our results demonstrate the sex difference in the relationship between TNF-α, MDA, and their interaction with psychopathological symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Associations between expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase enzyme and inflammatory cytokines in patients with first-episode drug-naive Schizophrenia

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Zhang ◽  
Han Shi ◽  
Ge Yang ◽  
Yongfeng Yang ◽  
Wenqiang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Cytokines ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Indoleamine 2 ◽  
Tryptophan Degradation ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Drug Naïve

AbstractThe indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) enzyme is the first rate-limiting enzyme of the tryptophan degradation pathway in which dysfunction of neuroactive metabolites has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Inflammatory molecules such as pro-inflammatory cytokines could enhance the activity of IDO. There are few studies on the expression of IDO levels and its correlation with levels of inflammatory cytokines in first-episode drug-naive patients with schizophrenia. One hundred inpatients (female = 33, male = 67) with first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia entered a 6-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. All individuals were assigned celecoxib or placebo combined with risperidone. Serum levels of IDO and six inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α IL-17, IL-4, and INF-γ) were measured. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess the severity of psychotic symptoms. Compared to healthy subjects, patients had significantly elevated levels of IDO and six cytokines at baseline. Over the 6-week treatment period, the decrease in the levels of IDO and TNF-α and the improvement in the PANSS total score, positive scores, and negative scores in the celecoxib group were significantly greater than in the placebo group. There was a significantly positive correlation between IDO levels and the PANSS negative scores and between IDO levels and TNF-α and IFN-γ levels in the celecoxib group. These findings showed abnormal expression of IDO levels which correlated with negative symptoms and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia, suggesting the important role of IDO in the pathological mechanism of schizophrenia. Registration number: ChiCTR2000041403.

Early psychosis in young women

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S7-S7
Author(s):  
A. Riecher-Rössler
Keyword(s):  
Young Women ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Seeking Behavior ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
The University

IntroductionIt is well known that young women are at lower risk for schizophrenic psychoses than young men. However, little is known about the peculiarities of emerging psychosis in young women.ObjectivesTo describe characteristics of emerging psychosis in women.MethodsWithin the FePsy (Früherkennung von Psychosen = early detection of psychosis) study at the University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics we have examined consecutively all patients with a first episode of psychosis (FEP) or an at-risk mental state (ARMS) referred to us between 2000 and 2015.ResultsWomen did not significantly differ from men regarding psychopathology, neither in the ARMS nor in the FEP group. This was true for positive as well as negative symptoms and basic symptoms. Interestingly, women had a higher correlation of self-rating with observer-rating regarding psychotic symptoms. Duration of untreated psychosis was significantly lower in women than in men. Women seek help more quickly than men and their first contact is more often their partner.Regarding neurocognition women showed a slightly better performance in verbal tasks. They also had higher prolactin levels and larger pituitary volumes, even when drug-naive.Transition to psychosis occurred as often and as quickly in women as in men.ConclusionsThere are only few gender differences in patients with emerging psychosis, which resemble mainly those found in the general population, with women showing a better help-seeking behavior, being more partner-oriented, having a better verbal performance and potentially also a higher stress reactivity [1].Disclosure of interestThe author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Risperidone-induced topological alterations of anatomical brain network in first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia patients: a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (12) ◽  
pp. 2549-2560 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hu ◽  
X. Zong ◽  
J. Zheng ◽  
J. J. Mann ◽  
Z. Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging ◽  
White Matter ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Imaging Study ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Longitudinal Diffusion ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

BackgroundIt remains unclear whether the topological deficits of the white matter network documented in cross-sectional studies of chronic schizophrenia patients are due to chronic illness or to other factors such as antipsychotic treatment effects. To answer this question, we evaluated the white matter network in medication-naive first-episode schizophrenia patients (FESP) before and after a course of treatment.MethodWe performed a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study in 42 drug-naive FESP at baseline and then after 8 weeks of risperidone monotherapy, and compared them with 38 healthy volunteers. Graph theory was utilized to calculate the topological characteristics of brain anatomical network. Patients’ clinical state was evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) before and after treatment.ResultsPretreatment, patients had relatively intact overall topological organizations, and deficient nodal topological properties primarily in prefrontal gyrus and limbic system components such as the bilateral anterior and posterior cingulate. Treatment with risperidone normalized topological parameters in the limbic system, and the enhancement positively correlated with the reduction in PANSS-positive symptoms. Prefrontal topological impairments persisted following treatment and negative symptoms did not improve.ConclusionsDuring the early phase of antipsychotic medication treatment there are region-specific alterations in white matter topological measures. Limbic white matter topological dysfunction improves with positive symptom reduction. Prefrontal deficits and negative symptoms are unresponsive to medication intervention, and prefrontal deficits are potential trait biomarkers and targets for negative symptom treatment development.

Changes in the cytokine profile in first episode, drug-naïve patients with psychosis after short-term antipsychotic treatment

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S371-S371
Author(s):  
P. Petrikis ◽  
P. Voulgari ◽  
V. Boumba ◽  
D. Archimandriti ◽  
P. Skapinakis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antipsychotic Medication ◽  
Transforming Growth Factor ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay ◽  
Antipsychotic Treatment ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Drug Naïve ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionAn increasing body of evidence suggests that antipsychotic medication can cause immunological changes that could be attributed to the amelioration of psychotic symptoms or the metabolic side effects of the drugs. So far, the results of the studies remain controversial.ObjectiveOur aim was to compare the levels of interleukin (IL) IL-2, IL-6 and transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) in drug-naïve, first-episode patients with psychosis before and after six weeks of antipsychotic medication.MethodsThirty-nine first episode patients with psychosis were enrolled in the study. Serum levels of IL-2, IL-6 and TGF-β2 were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and six weeks after the initiation of antipsychotic medication. In addition, clinical psychopathology was assessed using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) before and after treatment.ResultsSerum levels of IL-2 were significantly higher in the study group six weeks after the initiation of antipsychotic treatment (P < 0.001) while TGF-β2 levels were decreased (P < 0.001) and IL-6 levels were slightly reduced (P < 0.004).ConclusionThe changes in cytokine levels may be attributed to the action of antipsychotic medication and the remission of psychopathology. The reduction in TGF-β2 levels is observed in all patients and with all antipsychotic medications used. TGF-β2 may be a marker of clinical efficacy.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Antipsychotic drugs increase Neuregulin1b1 serum levels in first-episode drug-naïve patients and chronic schizophrenia with suggestions for improving the treatment of psychotic symptoms

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haidong Yang ◽  
Wen Pan ◽  
Wenhuan Xiao ◽  
Man Yang ◽  
Jianchun Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antipsychotic Drugs ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Serum Levels ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Antipsychotic Treatment ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanism ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Drug Naïve

Abstract Background: Neuregulin1 (NRG1) plays a role in neuronal migration, regulation of synaptic plasticity, and neural survival, and has been considered to be among the candidate genes for schizophrenia. This study focused on the variations in serum NRG1b1 levels following antipsychotic treatment and the relationship between NRG1b1 level and improvements in psychotic symptoms in first-episode drug-naïve (FEDN) patients and chronic schizophrenia.Methods: A total of 100 patients with schizophrenia were recruited and compared with 79 matched healthy controls. All patients had been drug-naïve for at least four weeks. Serum NRG1b1 levels and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) scores were measured at the baseline and after four weeks. Serum NRG1b1 levels were measured using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).Results: Baseline NRG1b1 levels were significantly lower in the patients with schizophrenia compared with the healthy controls. NRG1b1 levels increased significantly following antipsychotic treatment. NRG1b1 levels gradually increased with declining PANSS scores and its three subscales during antipsychotic therapy. The levels of NRG1b1 increased significantly in responders after four weeks of treatment, although non-responders showed no such effect. Correlation analyses showed that the levels of NRG1b1 were negatively correlated with the duration of illness and positively correlated with improvement in symptoms.Conclusion: The levels of serum NRG1b1 and the therapeutic effects gradually increased following treatment, indicating that NRG1b1 may be an indicator of therapy, and that it may also be associated with the pathophysiological mechanism causing schizophrenia, although this possible pathway requires further investigation. Antipsychotic drugs increase Neuregulin1b1 serum levels in first-episode drug-naïve patients and chronic schizophrenia with suggestions for improving the treatment of psychotic symptoms

scholarly journals S81. METAMEMORY IMPAIRMENT ACROSS THE PSYCHOSIS TRAJECTORY: ASSOCIATIONS WITH SYMPTOM SEVERITY

2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S65-S65
Author(s):  
Rashina Seabury ◽  
Carrie E Bearden ◽  
Joseph Ventura ◽  
Kenneth L Subotnik ◽  
Keith H Nuechterlein ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Associative Memory ◽  
Symptom Severity ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Positive Symptom ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Reality Testing

Abstract Background Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterized by a deficit in reality testing, most often manifest in the form of delusions and hallucinations. Because differentiating real from imagined experiences is critically dependent on episodic and associative memory, deficits in mnemonic processes could be involved in the genesis of impaired reality testing. Prior work has shown that individuals with psychosis exhibit impairment in metamemory, or, awareness and knowledge of one’s own memory and memory processes, and that these impairments may be relevant to the emergence and/or maintenance of psychotic symptoms. Methods In the present study, we used a verbal associative memory paradigm incorporating subject confidence ratings to examine differences in metamemory processes in three separate samples: patients with chronic schizophrenia (CHR; n = 34), patients with recent-onset (first-episode) psychosis (n = 49), and individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (n = 29) compared to control groups (n = 24, n = 26, and n = 22, respectively). We used an analysis of variance design to examine group differences in confidence gap and knowledge corruption between patients and controls. We further assessed the association of both of these metrics to symptom severity in each patient sample. Results We found that both chronic and first-episode patients displayed significantly decreased confidence gap compared to healthy controls, with patients being more confident in incorrect memory retrievals and less confident in correct memory retrievals as compared to healthy controls. Additionally, compared to healthy controls, chronic patients and first-episode patients showed significantly increased knowledge corruption (the proportion of confident incorrect memory retrievals compared to all confident retrievals). While there were no group differences in confidence gap and knowledge corruption between CHR subjects and healthy controls, decreased confidence gap was significantly correlated with positive symptom severity in CHR subjects, as well as in first-episode subjects. Discussion These findings suggest that underlying deficits in metamemory processes may possibly reflect mechanisms involved in the development and/or maintenance of disrupted reality testing in those with and at risk for psychosis.

scholarly journals General psychopathology links burden of recent life events and psychotic symptoms in a network approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda T. Betz ◽  
◽  
Nora Penzel ◽  
Lana Kambeitz-Ilankovic ◽  
Marlene Rosen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Events ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Negative Symptoms ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Network Approach ◽  
General Psychopathology ◽  
Recent Onset ◽  
Syndrome Scale ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Individual

AbstractRecent life events have been implicated in the onset and progression of psychosis. However, psychological processes that account for the association are yet to be fully understood. Using a network approach, we aimed to identify pathways linking recent life events and symptoms observed in psychosis. Based on previous literature, we hypothesized that general symptoms would mediate between recent life events and psychotic symptoms. We analyzed baseline data of patients at clinical high risk for psychosis and with recent-onset psychosis (n = 547) from the Personalised Prognostic Tools for Early Psychosis Management (PRONIA) study. In a network analysis, we modeled links between the burden of recent life events and all individual symptoms of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale before and after controlling for childhood trauma. To investigate the longitudinal associations between burden of recent life events and symptoms, we analyzed multiwave panel data from seven timepoints up to month 18. Corroborating our hypothesis, burden of recent life events was connected to positive and negative symptoms through general psychopathology, specifically depression, guilt feelings, anxiety and tension, even after controlling for childhood trauma. Longitudinal modeling indicated that on average, burden of recent life events preceded general psychopathology in the individual. In line with the theory of an affective pathway to psychosis, recent life events may lead to psychotic symptoms via heightened emotional distress. Life events may be one driving force of unspecific, general psychopathology described as characteristic of early phases of the psychosis spectrum, offering promising avenues for interventions.

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