Estimation of serum zinc and copper levels patients with schizophrenia: a preliminary study

Sultana

et al. 2021

Health Science Reports

Background Schizophrenia (SCZ) is an incurable neuropsychiatric disorder generally described by impaired social behavior and altered recognition of reality. For the first time, this study explored serum levels of antioxidants (vitamin A, E, and C), malondialdehyde (MDA), macro‐minerals (calcium, potassium, and sodium), and trace elements (zinc, iron, and selenium) in Bangladeshi patients with SCZ and thereby, discovering any pathophysiological correlation. Methods This case‐controlled study evaluated 63 patients with SCZ as cases and 63 healthy individuals as controls. Vitamin A and E levels were defined by RP‐HPLC. MDA and vitamin C levels were measured by using UV spectrophotometry, and macro and trace elements by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results This study found significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) elevated MDA levels and decreased levels of antioxidants—vitamin A, C, and E and significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) diminished levels of macro and trace elements in cases in contrast to the controls. Serum levels of zinc (Zn), selenium (Se), iron (Fe), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and sodium (Na) were determined to be 0.33 ± 0.008, 0.0252 ± 0.00060, 0.24 ± 0.01, 64.18 ± 2.72, 36.88 ± 2.56, and 2657.5 ± 53.32 mg/L, respectively, in cases, whereas 0.79 ± 0.03, 0.0650 ± 0.00355,0.78 ± 0.03, 168.01 ± 2.85, 86.43 ± 2.55, and 3200.8 ± 29.96 mg/L, respectively, were determined in controls. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between Zn and Na, Zn and K, Zn and Ca, Zn and Fe, Zn and Se, Fe and Na, and Fe and Se in patients. Conclusions The findings connect that the pathogenesis of SCZ may have a correlation with altered levels of antioxidants, MDA, macro‐minerals, and trace elements.

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 55%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Effect of antioxidant, malondialdehyde, macro‐mineral, and trace element serum concentrations in Bangladeshi patients with schizophrenia: A case‐control study

Sultana

et al. 2021

Health Science Reports

“…However, the effects of the combination of antidepressant and anti-inflammatory drugs on trace elements in relation to immune-inflammatory markers have not been studied well. Cu is necessary for the proper development and functioning of the central nervous system whereby low Cu levels may result in incomplete development, while excess concentration may be injurious (Sharma et al, 2014). The brain is the one of the most Cu-rich tissues (next to the heart and liver) (Desai & Kaler 2008;Scheiber et al, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lowered Zinc and Copper Levels in Drug-Naïve patients with Major Depression: Effects of Antidepressants, Ketoprofen and Immune Activation

Twayej

Al‐Hakeim

Al-Dujaili

et al. 2019

Preprint

There is now evidence that major depression is accompanied by lowered serum zinc, an immune-inflammatory biomarker. However, the effect of anti-inflammatory drugs as adjuvant to antidepressants on serum zinc and copper in relation to pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines are not studied. The aim of the present work is to examine the effects of treatment with sertraline with and without ketoprofen on serum levels of zinc and copper in association with immune-inflammatory biomarkers in drug-naïve major depressed patients. We measured serum zinc and copper, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-18, interferon (IFN)-γ, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in 40 controls and 133 depressed patients. The clinical efficacy of the treatment was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) at baseline and 8 weeks later. In drug-naïve major depressed patients we found significantly reduced baseline levels of serum zinc and copper in association with upregulation of all cytokines, indicating activation of the immune-inflammatory responses system (IRS) as well as the compensatory immune regulatory system (CIRS). Treatment with sertraline significantly increased zinc and decreased copper levels, while ketoprofen did not have a significant add-on effect on zinc but attenuated the suppressant effects of sertraline on copper levels. During treatment, there was a significant inverse association between serum zinc and activation of the IRS/CIRS. The improvement in the BDI-II during treatment was significantly associated with increments in serum zinc coupled with attenuation of the IRS/CIRS. In conclusion, lower serum zinc is a hallmark of depression, while increments in serum zinc and attenuation of the immune-inflammatory response during treatment appear to play a role in the clinical efficacy of sertraline. Intertwined changes in zinc levels and the immune response play a role in the pathophysiology of major depression and participate in the mechanisms underpinning the clinical efficacy of antidepressants.

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

“…Previous studies have shown that increased Cp may also be related to clinical properties. These properties may include, the stage of the disease [21,23], the duration of the disease [23,47], the effects of accompanying drug treatment [22,23], the gender [47] and other physical conditions [23]. In this study, Cu and Cp levels were not significantly associated with the smoking status, stage or duration of disease as well as the effects of accompanying treatment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 59%

“…Many studies have shown that dysregulation of Cu adversely influences biological processes of several psychiatric disorders including SZ [21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30], BD [25,[31][32][33], and MD [25,28,34]. The reduced [28,30,35,36], elevated [21][22][23][26][27][28][29]37,38], and unaltered [25,28,39,40] Cu levels in SZ patients have been mentioned in different studies. Higher Cu concentrations were reported in the course of the BD [41].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Serum ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity in bipolar disorder is elevated compared to major depressive disorder and schizophrenia: a controlled study

Tunç

Atagün

Başbuğ

et al. 2019

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to study copper metabolism in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression compared with healthy control. METHODS: This is a single-centered cross-sectional study. The patients with schizophrenia (n = 36), bipolar disorder (n = 37), major depression (n = 40), and healthy control (n = 32) were included in the study. All participants were initially evaluated by a clinical psychiatrist to confirm the appropriate diagnosis using the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). Serum copper level, ceruloplasmin mass, and ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity were measured. One-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis Tests were performed for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Serum ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity (χ 2 = 9.11, p = 0.028) demonstrated a significant statistical difference in all groups compared with the control group. Serum ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity of the bipolar disorder group was significantly higher than the healthy control group (p = 0.012), major depression group (p = 0.027), and the schizophrenia group (p = 0.019). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (p = 0.028) and waist circumference (p = 0.005) in bipolar disorder group, and the C-reactive protein (CRP) (p < 0.001) and cholesterol (p = 0.043) in the schizophrenia group were found as the determinants of ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity. CONCLUSION: In this study, ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity is higher in all groups in comparison to the healthy control. The significantly higher ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity was shown in bipolar disorder followed by the major depression and schizophrenia. The ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity was correlated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate in the bipolar disorder group and with C-reactive protein in the schizophrenia group. Therefore, the ceruloplasmin-ferroxidase activity may be an encouraging candidate in the neuro-immune modulation and become a reliable clinical tool for demonstrating the strong association of inflammation in these disorders.