Background/PurposeThere is evidence for low endogenous antioxidant levels and oxidative imbalance in patients with schizophrenia. A previous open-label study with α-lipoic acid (ALA), a potent antioxidant, improved patients' negative and cognitive symptoms and markers of lipid peroxidation. Here we report the results of a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study to verify the response of patients with schizophrenia to adjunctive treatment with ALA (100 mg/d) in a 4-month follow-up.MethodsWe conducted a 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ALA at 100 mg/d dosages. We compared negative and positive symptoms, cognitive function, extrapyramidal symptoms, body mass index, and oxidative/inflammatory parameters between placebo and control groups.ResultsWe found no significant improvement in body mass index, cognition, psychopathology, antipsychotic adverse effects, or oxidative stress and inflammation in the experimental group compared with placebo. The whole group of patients improved in several measures, indicating a strong placebo effect in this population. A surprising finding was a significant decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the group treated with ALA.ConclusionsThe decrease in red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelet counts requires further investigation and attention when prescribing ALA for patients with schizophrenia.

Background We explored the relationship between symptoms, cognitive performance, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (three markers of inflammation), and antipsychotic dose (in chlorpromazine units) in male and female patients with schizophrenia. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis in patients with schizophrenia of the complete blood count and the results of neuropsychological testing, using the Welch t-test to compare groups and the Pearson test for correlations. Results We found that the NLR and the PLR are higher among women with schizophrenia when compared with men. In women, the NLR and the PLR correlate positively with antipsychotic drug dose and inversely with a working memory test (Direct Digit Span). Higher doses of antipsychotics are associated with worse working and semantic memory and mental flexibility in the women in our sample. Conclusion Higher doses of antipsychotics were associated with worse working and semantic memory and mental flexibility in women with schizophrenia. No such correlations were present in men, suggesting that, in female patients, cognitive performance deteriorates as the antipsychotic dose is increased, a finding that could be mediated by inflammatory mechanisms, given the demonstrated relationship to biomarkers of inflammation – e.g., the NLR and the PLR. Trial registration NCT03788759 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

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O termo Habilidades Sociais tem sido utilizado para denominar o modo de uma pessoa ao se comportar adequadamente aos diferentes tipos de ambientes, pessoas, grupos e comunidades. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar os principais instrumentos utilizados para mensuração de HS em diferentes contextos. Trata-se de uma Revisão integrativa de literatura nas bases de dados Scielo, LILACS e PubMed, com a utilização dos descritores: Habilidades Sociais, Inventário de Habilidades Sociais e Comportamento Social. Os critérios de inclusão foram artigos publicados nos últimos cinco anos (2015 a 2020), que estivessem disponíveis on-line, na íntegra e gratuitamente e que abordassem informações a respeito do uso de ferramentas de mensuração de HS. Foram excluídos editoriais, cartas ao editor, teses, dissertações, monografias e trabalhos de conclusão de curso, que não estivessem em conformidade com o objetivo do estudo, além dos artigos repetidos em mais de uma base de dados. Foram identificados o total de 15 artigos, agrupados em três categorias temáticas: Instrumentos de HS utilizados em adultos; Instrumentos de HS utilizados em crianças e adolescentes e Instrumentos de HS utilizados em estudantes universitários, internos e residentes. A revisão identificou que o principal instrumento utilizado foi o Inventário de Habilidades Sociais de Del Prette e Del Prette. Esses instrumentos oportunizam o diagnóstico precoce e facilitam o planejamento de estratégias de intervenção. Os estudos encontrados sinalizam a necessidade de novas pesquisas com maior rigor metodológico sobre a avaliação das habilidades sociais em diversos cenários.