Serum Homocysteine and Folate Levels in Korean Schizophrenic Patients

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study was conducted to confirm the results of the authors' previous research on schizophrenia manifesting high serum homocysteine and low folate levels. This study is anchored on a theory that a high serum homocysteine concentration affects schizophrenia by virtue of a neurotoxic mechanism, and on a report that some schizophrenia patients with high homocysteine levels benefited from high folate ingestion.MethodsThe serum homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 levels of 236 normal-control-group subjects and 234 schizophrenia subjects who met the diagnostic criteria based on DSM-IV-TR were compared. The homocysteine levels were measured via fluorescence polarization immunoassay, and the folate and vitamin B12 levels were determined via radioimmunoassay.ResultsThe homocysteine levels of the patient group were significantly higher than those of the normal control group. The homocysteine level was more negatively correlated with the folate level in the schizophrenia group than in the control group. The percentages of female and male schizophrenia subjects manifesting high homocysteine levels were 33.8 and 51.5%, respectively. The percentage of schizophrenia subjects with low folate levels was 66.2%. In the low- and normal-folate-level groups, the patient group showed significantly higher homocysteine levels than the normal control group. The low-folate-level patient group particularly showed significantly higher homocysteine levels than the low-folate-level normal control group.ConclusionSome schizophrenia patients with high serum homocysteine levels may have the genetic defect of having low folate serum levels. In such cases, folate ingestion may be a good management modality for clinical improvement.

Determination of Olanzapine and N-desmethyl-olanzapine in Plasma Using a Reversed-Phase HPLC Coupled with Coulochemical Detection: Correlation of Olanzapine or N-desmethyl-olanzapine Concentration with Metabolic Parameters

“…Some authors [40] have reported no changes, but others [41], [42] have reported increased levels, in untreated patients with schizophrenia. It has also been reported that patients with the 677TT genotype showed higher homocysteine levels than other patients and it was suggested that supplemental folate may be beneficial to some patients with schizophrenia and homocysteinemia due to the genetic defect of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase [43], [44].…”

Homocysteine and Psychiatric Disorders

“…39,40 Regland et al 41 were the first to associate increased blood Hcy concentrations with schizophrenia in 1995. The association was latter subject of a meta-analysis in 2006 by Muntjewerff et al 42 who collected data from 8 case-control studies and demonstrated a 70% increase in the risk of schizophrenia for every 5 mM increase in Hcy concentration and many other studies since then have corroborated this hypothesis, [43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52] although negative results are also present in the literature. 53 Genetic factors associated with Hcy metabolism are also associated with schizophrenia risk.…”

“…Low folate concentrations are associated with increased Hcy levels and schizophrenia. 48,50 Low betaine plasma concentrations have also been demonstrated in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and can influence Hcy metabolism in these individuals. 59 The link between Hcy metabolism and schizophrenia can be related to fetal hypoxia, altered DNA methylation, and partial antagonistic effect on N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamatergic neurons.…”

出生前营养不良致子代易感精神分裂症研究进展

“…饥荒是一种低蛋白低能量的饮食, 包含各种必需 营养元素的全面匮乏, 那么到底是哪些营养元素与精 神分裂症有直接或间接的联系? 研究发现, 叶酸不足 与神经管的缺陷有关, 而神经管的缺陷与精神分裂症 密切相关 [10] , 进一步分析发现精神分裂症患者的血清 徐飞等: 出生前营养不良致子代易感精神分裂症研究进展 叶酸水平要显著低于正常人群 [11,12] . 另外, 不饱和脂 肪酸 [13] 、维生素A [14] 、维生素D [15] 、铁离子 [16] 、蛋 白质能量营养缺乏 [17] 都被分别报道与精神分裂症相 关联.…”