Abnormal plasma levels of serine, methionine, and taurine in transient acute polymorphic psychosis

Abstract

The present study explored the usefulness of plasma amino acid concentrations in discriminating a subgroup of patients with transient acute polymorphic psychoses characterized by psychosensory symptoms (APP+ patients). Levels of amino acids in the plasma of APP+ patients were compared with levels in psychiatric patients with other types of psychotic symptomatology and a healthy control group. Both the APP+ patients and patients with bipolar affective disorder had significantly lower plasma concentrations of serine compared with concentrations in the other groups studied. Since the plasma concentrations of taurine and methionine were also different in the APP+ patients, the ratio of taurine to the product of serine and methionine (the TSM ratio) was used in an attempt to increase the sensitivity in discriminating these patients. The TSM ratio in the APP+ patients was significantly higher than those in the other groups studied, except for the patients with bipolar affective disorder. It appears that the determination of serine and the TSM ratio in the plasma of psychotic patients may be a useful diagnostic validator in a group of patients with acute polymorphic psychoses.

Genetic Dysregulation of Glutathione Synthesis Predicts Alteration of Plasma Thiol Redox Status in Schizophrenia

“…Glycine and serine have drawn particular attention in schizophrenia research. Some studies observed elevated plasma levels of glycine and serine in schizophrenia patients (5,64), although others could not confirm these alterations (22,47). These contradictory results may be explained by the difference of high-risk, low-risk genotypes distribution in these various schizophrenia patients' samples.…”

Homozygous thermolabile methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in schizophrenia-like psychosis

“…A disturbed serine metabolism in a subgroup of patients suffering from transient acute polymorphic psychoses has been described (Bruinvels and Pepplinkhuizen, 1984;Fekkes et al, 1994). These patients also showed decreased plasma levels of methionine which is suggestive of a disturbed remethylation of homocysteine.…”

Taurine and glutathione in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in olanzapine treated patients with schizophrenia

“…In animal models of intrauterine infections, a decrease in hippocampal taurine levels of the foetus has been shown, supporting the causal relationship between maternal infection/inflammation during pregnancy and a higher risk for schizophrenia-related neuropathology in the adult offspring (Winter et al, 2009). In addition, altered taurine levels have been documented in patients with acute polymorphic psychosis and depression and in pathological gamblers (Fekkes et al, 1994;Nordin and Sjödin, 2006;Samuelsson et al, 2012).…”