Ceramides: Shared Lipid Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease and Schizophrenia

INTRODUCTION: Schizophrenia, although a debilitating mental illness, greatly affects individuals physical health as well. One of the leading somatic comorbidities associated with schizophrenia is cardiovascular disease, which has been estimated to be one of the leading causes of excess mortality in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Although the shared susceptibility to schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease is well established, the mechanisms linking these two disorders are not well understood. Genetic studies have hinted toward shared lipid metabolism abnormalities co-occurring in the two disorders, while lipid compounds have emerged as prognostic markers for cardiovascular disease. In particular, three ceramide species in the blood plasma, Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), and Cer(d18:1/24:1), have been robustly linked to the latter disorder. AIM: We aimed to assess the differences in abundances of Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), and Cer(d18:1/24:1) in the blood plasma of schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls. METHODS: We measured the abundances of Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), and Cer(d18:1/24:1) in a cohort of 82 patients with schizophrenia and 138 controls without a psychiatric diagnosis and validated the results using an independent cohort of 26 patients with schizophrenia, 55 control individuals, and 19 patients experiencing a first psychotic episode. RESULTS: We found significant alterations for all three ceramide species Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), and Cer(d18:1/24:1) and a particularly strong difference in concentrations between psychiatric patients and controls for the ceramide species Cer(d18:1/18:0). CONCLUSIONS: The alteration of Cer(d18:1/16:0), Cer(d18:1/18:0), and Cer(d18:1/24:1) levels in the blood plasma might be a manifestation of metabolic abnormalities common to both schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease.

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Impact of childhood traumatization and vulnerability to stress in the development of first psychotic episode

10.26226/morressier.5785edc5d462b80296c9917d ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Linda Rossini Gajsak

Keyword(s):

Psychotic Episode ◽

First Psychotic Episode ◽

Vulnerability To Stress

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Antipsychotic Prescription in Black and White Patients with First Psychotic Episode – A Study of Hospitalized Patients in Lisbon

10.26226/morressier.5a6ef3f0d462b80290b58990 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Violeta Nogueira

Keyword(s):

Hospitalized Patients ◽

Psychotic Episode ◽

Black And White ◽

First Psychotic Episode ◽

White Patients

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MOTOR PERFORMANCE IN PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA AND SCHIZOPHRENIA SPECTRUM DISORDERS AFTER FIRST PSYCHOTIC EPISODE

Schizophrenia Research ◽

10.1016/j.schres.2010.02.833 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 117 (2-3) ◽

pp. 448-449

Author(s):

Yuliya Zaytseva ◽

Nataliya Korsakova ◽

Isaac Gurovich ◽

Andreas Heinz ◽

Michael Rapp

Keyword(s):

Motor Performance ◽

Psychotic Episode ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders ◽

First Psychotic Episode ◽

Schizophrenia Spectrum ◽

Spectrum Disorders

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P.7.d.002 Longitudinal study of neurotrophic factors in children and adolescents with a first psychotic episode

European Neuropsychopharmacology ◽

10.1016/s0924-977x(07)70898-2 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 17 ◽

pp. S576-S577

Author(s):

E. Del Moral ◽

A. Palomino ◽

C. Matute ◽

J. Palomo ◽

S. ´ Alvarez de Eulate ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Neurotrophic Factors ◽

Psychotic Episode ◽

First Psychotic Episode

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Brief psychotic disorder associated with quarantine and mild COVID-19

BMJ Case Reports ◽

10.1136/bcr-2020-240088 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. e240088

Author(s):

Peter M Haddad ◽

Majid Al Abdulla ◽

Javed Latoo ◽

Yousaf Iqbal

Keyword(s):

Psychotic Disorder ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Psychotic Symptoms ◽

First Episode ◽

Psychotic Episode ◽

Psychiatric Medication ◽

Diagnostic And Statistical Manual ◽

First Psychotic Episode ◽

Episode Psychosis ◽

Brief Psychotic Disorder

A 30-year-old man with no significant previous or family psychiatric history became severely anxious about his health after a positive COVID-19 test. Physical symptoms of COVID-19 were mild, with no evidence of hypoxia or pneumonia, throughout his illness. He was admitted to a quarantine facility. He remained highly anxious, and 1 week later, he developed paranoid delusions and auditory hallucinations (his first psychotic episode). He was treated with lorazepam 1 mg four times a day, mirtazapine 30 mg nocte and risperidone 1 mg two times a day. His psychotic symptoms lasted 1 week. He stopped psychiatric medication after 4 weeks and had remained well when reviewed 3 months later. A Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition diagnosis of brief psychotic disorder with marked stressor (brief reactive psychosis) was made. Anxiety about his health and social isolation appeared the main aetiological factors but an inflammatory component cannot be excluded. The case highlights that first episode psychosis can be associated with mild COVID-19.

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