Peripheral sub-inflammation is associated with antidepressant consumption in schizophrenia. Results from the multi-center FACE-SZ data set

Differences in metabolic biomarkers in people with schizophrenia who are of Mexican descent compared to non-Hispanic whites

Metabolic dysfunction is highly prevalent and contributes to premature mortality among people with schizophrenia (PwS), especially in Hispanic/Latino/a/x/e PwS, compared to non-Hispanic White (NHW) PwS. This study evaluated the relative contributions of Mexican descent and schizophrenia diagnosis to metabolic biomarker levels. This cross-sectional study included 115 PwS and 102 non-psychiatric comparison (NC) participants - English-speakers aged 26-66 years, 27% Mexican descent, and 52% women across both groups. Assessments included evaluations of BMI, psychopathology, and fasting metabolic biomarkers. We used ANOVA analyses to compare metabolic outcomes between diagnostic and ethnic subgroups, linear regression models to examine associations between Mexican descent and metabolic outcomes, and Spearman's correlations to examine relationships between metabolic outcomes and illness-related variables in PwS. Mexican PwS had higher hemoglobin A1c levels, insulin resistance, and body mass index than NHW PwS. Mexican descent was associated with higher hemoglobin A1c levels, insulin resistance, body mass index, and leptin levels, controlling for age, sex, depression, education, and smoking. Among Mexican PwS, worse negative symptoms were associated with greater insulin resistance. These findings support the possibility of ethnicity-based differences in metabolic dysregulation, though further investigation is warranted to create targeted health interventions for Hispanic PwS.

Electrical stimulus combined with venlafaxine and mirtazapine improves brain Ca2+ activity, pre-pulse inhibition, and immobility time in a model of major depressive disorder in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of major depressive disorder in patients with schizophrenia (SZ-MDD) has been reported to be about 32.6 %, but it varies considerably depending on the stage (early or chronic) and state (acute or post-psychotic) of schizophrenia. The exploration of ideal strategies for the treatment of major depressive disorder in the context of schizophrenia is urgently needed. Thus, the present study was conducted to investigate the treatment effects of clozapine, electrical stimulation (ECS; the mouse model equivalent of electroconvulsive therapy for humans), venlafaxine, and mirtazapine for SZ-MDD.

METHODS

A mouse model of SZ-MDD was established with MK801 administration and chronic unpredictable mild stress exposure. Clozapine and ECS, alone and with mirtazapine and/or venlafaxine, were used as treatment strategies. In-vivo two-photon imaging was performed to visualize Ca²⁺ neural activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Mouse performance on behavioral assays was taken to reflect acute treatment effects.

RESULTS

ECS + venlafaxine + mirtazapine performed significantly better than other treatments in alleviating major depressive disorder, as reflected by PFC Ca²⁺ activity and behavioral assay performance. Clozapine + venlafaxine + mirtazapine did not have an ideal treatment effect. Brain Ca²⁺ activity alterations did not correlate with behavioral expression in any treatment group.

CONCLUSIONS

In this mouse model of SZ-MDD, ECS + venlafaxine + mirtazapine improved brain Ca2+ activity, pre-pulse inhibition, and immobility time. These findings provide useful information for the further exploration of treatment methods for patients with SZ-MDD, although the mechanisms underlying this comorbidity needed to be investigated further.

Linking Inflammation, Aberrant Glutamate-Dopamine Interaction, and Post-synaptic Changes: Translational Relevance for Schizophrenia and Antipsychotic Treatment: a Systematic Review

Evidence from clinical, preclinical, and post-mortem studies supports the inflammatory/immune hypothesis of schizophrenia pathogenesis. Less evident is the link between the inflammatory background and two well-recognized functional and structural findings of schizophrenia pathophysiology: the dopamine-glutamate aberrant interaction and the alteration of dendritic spines architecture, both believed to be the “quantal” elements of cortical-subcortical dysfunctional network. In this systematic review, we tried to capture the major findings linking inflammation, aberrant glutamate-dopamine interaction, and post-synaptic changes under a direct and inverse translational perspective, a paramount picture that at present is lacking. The inflammatory effects on dopaminergic function appear to be bidirectional: the inflammation influences dopamine release, and dopamine acts as a regulator of discrete inflammatory processes involved in schizophrenia such as dysregulated interleukin and kynurenine pathways. Furthermore, the link between inflammation and glutamate is strongly supported by clinical studies aimed at exploring overactive microglia in schizophrenia patients and maternal immune activation models, indicating impaired glutamate regulation and reduced N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function. In addition, an inflammatory/immune-induced alteration of post-synaptic density scaffold proteins, crucial for downstream NMDAR signaling and synaptic efficacy, has been demonstrated. According to these findings, a significant increase in plasma inflammatory markers has been found in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls, associated with reduced cortical integrity and functional connectivity, relevant to the cognitive deficit of schizophrenia. Finally, the link between altered inflammatory/immune responses raises relevant questions regarding potential new therapeutic strategies specifically for those forms of schizophrenia that are resistant to canonical antipsychotics or unresponsive to clozapine.

Could CRP be a differential biomarker of illness stages in schizophrenia? A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Patients with schizophrenia display peripheral inflammation but the impact of illness phase is not clear. Our meta-analysis investigated the difference in CRP levels between patients with schizophrenia and controls according to their illness phase.

METHODS

After a systematic search, all studies measuring CRP in patients with schizophrenia and controls were included. Standardized mean differences were calculated between patients and controls according to illness phase. The influence of sociodemographic and clinical variables on our results was investigated using a meta-regression analysis.

RESULTS

Fifty studies were included in this meta-analysis. Patients with schizophrenia had higher CRP levels than controls in the acute (p < 0.00001) and stable (p < 0.00001) stage of their disease. Patients with acute exacerbation of schizophrenia had higher CRP levels than stable patients (p = 0.02) but this difference did not persist when considering antipsychotic-medicated patients in both phases. Meta-regressions found that the increase of CRP in acutely ill patients as compared to controls was influenced by age (p < 0.01), BMI (p = 0.01) and first episode (p = 0.02), whereas the increase in CRP levels of stable patients as compared to controls was moderated by BMI (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides strong evidence that patients with schizophrenia have higher CRP levels than controls, but also show an increase in inflammatory response in the acute stage of the disease as compared to the stable stage. CRP could thus be considered as a state marker and a trait marker of the disease.

Hypertension and psychosis

Hypertension, a prevalent component of metabolic syndrome (MetS), is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Psychosis is a feature in the schizophrenia spectrum. Meta-analysis suggests that the prevalence of hypertension in schizophrenia and related disorders is 39%. This may be explained by a unidirectional association between hypertension and psychosis, in that psychosis can be a causative factor of hypertension via antipsychotic medication, inflammation and irregular autonomic nervous system activity through multiple mechanisms. Obesity is a side effect of antipsychotic medication and is a risk factor for hypertension. Obesity leads to raised blood pressure, atherosclerosis, increased triglyceride concentration and decreased high-density lipoprotein concentration. Inflammation accompanies hypertension and obesity. In recent years, the role of inflammation in the onset of psychosis has been increasingly recognised. It underlies the immune dysregulation observed in both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Interleukin-6, a marker and driver of inflammation, is related to obesity and plays a role in the pathogenesis of MetS and hypertension. The lack of preventive care of hypertension and other MetS risk factors for patients on antipsychotic medication is reflected in the high incidence of CVD in this population. It is important to detect and treat MetS and hypertension in patients with psychosis in order to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in this population.

Redefining peripheral inflammation signature in schizophrenia based on the real-world FACE-SZ cohort

BACKGROUND

Peripheral inflammation is associated with impaired prognosis in schizophrenia (SZ). Highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is the most used inflammatory biomarker in daily practice. However, no consensual cut-off has been determined to date to discriminate patients with peripheral inflammation from those without.

AIMS

To determine if patients with peripheral inflammation between 1 and 3 mg/L had poorer outcomes compared to those with undetectable CRP (<1 mg/L).

METHOD

Consecutive participants of the FACE-SZ cohort with a hs-CRP < 3 mg/L were included in 10 expert academic centers with a national geographical distribution between 2010 and 2018. Potential sources of inflammation, socio-demographics, illness characteristics, current illness severity, functioning and quality of life and were reported following the FACE-SZ standardized protocol.

RESULTS

580 patients were included, of whom 226 (39%) were identified with low-grade inflammation defined by a hs-CRP between 1 and 3 mg/L. Overweight and lack of dental care were identified as potential sources of inflammation. After adjustment for these factors, patients with inflammation had more severe psychotic, depressive and aggressive symptomatology and impaired functioning compared to the patients with undetectable hs-CRP. No association with tobacco smoking or physical activity level has been found.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with schizophrenia with hs-CRP level between 1 and 3 mg/L should be considered at risk for inflammation-associated disorders. Lowering weight and increasing dental care may be useful strategies to limit the sources of peripheral inflammation. Hs-CRP > 1 mg/L is a reliable marker to detect peripheral inflammation in patients with schizophrenia.

Immune-inflammatory markers and psychosis risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Subclinical inflammation has been associated with psychosis; however, it remains unknown whether this phenomenon appears also in the premorbid phase. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing peripheral blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and cytokines between individuals at risk of psychosis and controls. Moreover, we tested the hypothesis that the levels of these markers may be different in high-risk converters versus non-converters. Two independent reviewers searched electronic databases until Dec 16th, 2020. After reviewing publication records, 16 studies (548 high-risk individuals and 559 controls) were included. Random-effects meta-analyses with Hedges' g as the effect size estimate were performed. Individuals at clinical risk of psychosis had significantly higher levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) compared to controls (g = 0.33, 95%CI: 0.06-0.60, p = 0.018). Heterogeneity was not significant in this subgroup analysis. Changes in the levels of IL-6 in subjects at familial risk of psychosis were not significant (g = 0.04, 95%CI: -0.24 to 0.31, p = 0.798). The use of antidepressants was associated with significantly higher levels of IL-6 in high-risk individuals (Beta = 1.56, 95%CI: 0.60-2.53, p = 0.001). No significant differences in the levels of immune-inflammatory markers were found between high-risk converters and non-converters. Our findings suggest that individuals at clinical risk of psychosis show subclinical inflammation in terms of elevated IL-6 levels. This phenomenon might be related to the use of antidepressants. The present meta-analysis does not support the usefulness of single immune-inflammatory markers in predicting transition to psychosis.

The independent and combined effects of cannabis use and systemic inflammation during the early stages of psychosis: exploring the two-hit hypothesis

BACKGROUND

Cannabis consumption is a modifiable risk factor associated with psychosis, but not all cannabis users develop psychosis. Animal studies suggest that an antecedent active immune system interacts with subsequent cannabis exposure and moderates the cannabis-psychosis association, supporting the two-hit hypothesis. The clinical investigations are few, and it is unclear if the immune system is a biological candidate moderating the cannabis-psychosis association or whether cannabis increases inflammation, which in turn, augments psychosis likelihood.

METHODS

We explored the mediating and moderating role of blood inflammation using PROCESS macro. We used data from a cross-sectional study, including 153 first-episode psychosis patients and 256 community-based controls. Participants answered the Cannabis Experience Questionnaire (cannabis frequency, age of onset, and duration), and plasma cytokines were measured [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β); multiplex]. We computed an inflammatory composite score (ICS) to represent the systemic inflammatory state. Confounders included sex, age, ethnicity, educational level, body mass index, tobacco smoking, lifetime use of other drugs, and antipsychotic treatment.

RESULTS

Mediation: Cannabis consumption was not associated with increased inflammation, thus not supporting a mediating effect of inflammation. Moderation: Daily use and age of onset <17 interacted significantly with the ICS to increase the odds of psychosis beyond their individual effects and were only associated with psychosis among those scoring medium-high in the ICS.

CONCLUSIONS

Immune dysregulation might be part of the pathophysiology of psychosis, not explained by cannabis use or other confounders. We provide the first and initial evidence that immune dysregulation modifies the cannabis-psychosis association, in line with a two-hit hypothesis.

Prevalence and predisposing factors of depressive symptoms in patients with stable coronary artery disease: a cross-sectional single-center study

The incidence of depressive symptoms in patients with stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) has significantly increased. However, its pathogenesis and treatment mechanisms are still incompletely understood. In this study, 144 patients with SCAD were recruited. Depressive symptoms of patients with SCAD were evaluated using Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale during hospitalization, and the patients were categorized into two subgroups: the non-depressive and depressive groups (further divided into mild and moderate/severe depressive groups). The rate of moderate/severe depressive symptoms in patients with SCAD was 18.8%. The mean age of patients in the depressive and mild depressive groups was older than that of those in the non-depressive group, and patients in the moderate/severe depressive group had higher high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and lower creatinine (Cr) levels. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly associated with increased risks of mild depressive symptoms, whereas higher HDL and lower Cr levels were significantly associated with moderate/severe depressive symptoms, suggesting that patients with SCAD were prone to experience depressive symptoms, especially in the elderly. Abnormality in LDL, HDL, and Cr levels might contribute to the depressive symptoms.

Metformin Enhances Antidepressant/Antipsychotic Combination Therapy of Schizophrenia With Comorbid Depression in a Murine Model

Comorbid depressive disorders confound the diagnosis and therapy of schizophrenia. Using a murine model incorporating both MK801 and chronic unpredictable mild stress exposures, we successfully replicated both psychosis and depression. Ex vivo patch clamp recordings and in vivo calcium imaging demonstrated impaired neural activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We then administered triple-drug combinations consisting of two antidepressants (mirtazapine and venlafaxine) plus an antipsychotic (either clozapine or olanzapine), and found improved PFC neuronal activity and performance in behavioral assays. Moreover, the addition of metformin to both psychotropic drug combinations brought further improvements in depressive and schizophrenic-like behaviors and physiological parameters. In summary, our data modeled the neuropathophysiology of schizophrenia with comorbid depression, and may inform drug intervention strategies.

Vortioxetine as adjunctive therapy to risperidone for treatment of patients with chronic schizophrenia: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Vortioxetine, a novel antidepressant, may be an interesting candidate for adjunctive therapy of schizophrenia. Our primary objective was to investigate the effect of vortioxetine on negative symptoms, with the assessment of positive, general psychopathology and total symptoms as our secondary goal.

METHODS

This was an eight-week randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial, in which 78 inpatients with chronic schizophrenia were stabilised with risperidone (4-6 mg/day) for two months before being assigned to adjunctive vortioxetine (10 mg b.i.d.) or placebo. The patients were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Extrapyramidal Symptom Rating Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale during the study course. All participants had a PANSS negative symptoms subscale score of ⩾16 at baseline. Sixty-eight patients completed the trial.

RESULTS

Vortioxetine improved the negative symptoms score as the primary outcome and total PANSS score as a secondary outcome significantly better than placebo from baseline to end point at week 8, accompanied by significant time × treatment interactions and effect sizes (negative symptoms: mean difference (95% confidence interval (CI)) = -1.82 (-2.73 to -0.92); total scores: mean difference (95% CI) = -2.09 (-3.16 to -1.01). No significant difference was detected for changes in positive symptoms score or PANSS general psychopathology score as the other secondary outcomes from baseline to end point between the two treatment arms. The incidence of adverse events was comparable between groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to provide evidence for the therapeutic effect of vortioxetine on negative symptoms as an adjunctive to treatment with antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia.

Microbiota-Orientated Treatments for Major Depression and Schizophrenia

Background and significance. There is a need to develop new hypothesis-driven treatment for both both major depression (MD) and schizophrenia in which the risk of depression is 5 times higher than the general population. Major depression has been also associated with poor illness outcomes including pain, metabolic disturbances, and less adherence. Conventional antidepressants are partly effective, and 44% of the subjects remain unremitted under treatment. Improving MD treatment efficacy is thus needed to improve the SZ prognosis. Microbiota-orientated treatments are currently one of the most promising tracks. Method. This work is a systematic review synthetizing data of arguments to develop microbiota-orientated treatments (including fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)) in major depression and schizophrenia. Results. The effectiveness of probiotic administration in MD constitutes a strong evidence for developing microbiota-orientated treatments. Probiotics have yielded medium-to-large significant effects on depressive symptoms, but it is still unclear if the effect is maintained following probiotic discontinuation. Several factors may limit MD improvement when using probiotics, including the small number of bacterial strains administered in probiotic complementary agents, as well as the presence of a disturbed gut microbiota that probably limits the probiotics’ impact. FMT is a safe technique enabling to improve microbiota in several gut disorders. The benefit/risk ratio of FMT has been discussed and has been recently improved by capsule administration. Conclusion. Cleaning up the gut microbiota by transplanting a totally new human gut microbiota in one shot, which is referred to as FMT, is likely to strongly improve the efficacy of microbiota-orientated treatments in MD and schizophrenia and maintain the effect over time. This hypothesis should be tested in future clinical trials.

Abnormal C-reactive protein blood levels as a specific biomarker of major depression and non-remission under antidepressants in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a general marker of peripheral inflammation and has been shown to be a good marker of neuroinflammation. CRP has been found to be elevated in patients with mood disorders (especially unipolar disorders (UD) and in schizophrenia (SZ)) but also to be lowered by antidepressants.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives were (i) to determine the prevalence of major depression, antidepressant prescription and remission under antidepressant in a stabilized population of SZ and UD patients consulting in a daily hospital, and (ii) to determine if CRP was a marker of major depression and remission under antidepressant in these SZ and UD populations.

METHODS

Abnormal CRP was defined by a CRP blood level ≥ 3 mg/L. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Calgary Depression Rating Scale score. The clinicians were blinded of the CRP status of the patient.

RESULTS

411 patients were included (272 SZ and 139 UD). 171 (41.6%) were diagnosed with current major depression (74 (27.2%) for SZ and 97 (69.8%) for UD). 86 SZ (31.6%) and 119 UD (85.6%) were treated by antidepressant. Only 28/74 (37.8%) of the SZ subjects with major depression were administered antidepressants vs. 87/97 (89.7%) for UD. The non-remission rate under antidepressant was 28/86(32.6%) for SZ and 87/119 (73.1%) for UD. Overall, 105 (40.1%) of SZ and 39 (28.1%) of UD patients were found to have abnormal CRP blood levels. Abnormal CRP levels were significantly associated with increased MDD and more strongly with increased rates of non-remission under antidepressants in SZ patients, independently of age, gender, psychotic symptomatology, functioning, tobacco smoking and metabolic syndrome. This result was not replicated in UD patients, which suggests that CRP may be a specific marker of major depression and remission under antidepressant in SZ patients.

CONCLUSION

The development of biomarkers in psychiatry may orientate specific etiologic therapies in patients with mental disorders. The present findings suggest that major depression is frequent in SZ patients and that increased CRP levels are associated with non-remission under antidepressants in this population. Anti-inflammatory strategies may be particularly useful in this specific population.

The Role of Inflammation in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Background: Inflammation plays a major role in the onset and maintenance of schizophrenia. The objective of the present work was to synthetize in a narrative review the recent findings in the field of inflammation in schizophrenia and their application in daily practice. Method: This review was based on the most recent meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials. Results: The disturbed cytokines depend on the phase of the illness. A meta-analysis of cytokines in schizophrenia found higher levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood in both patients with first-episode schizophrenia and relapsed patients than in healthy controls. Exploring detailed data on immune-inflammatory disturbances in SZ reveals that IL-6 is one of the most consistently disturbed cytokines. Other cytokines, including IL1, TNF, and IFN, are also disturbed in schizophrenia. Choosing a broad spectrum anti-inflammatory agent that may inhibit subsequent pathways might be particularly useful for the treatment of inflammatory schizophrenia. Highly sensitive C-Reactive Protein is a useful screening marker for detecting inflammation in SZ subjects. Anti-inflammatory agents have shown effectiveness in recently published meta-analyses. Only one study found a significant difference between celecoxib and placebo, but two found a trend toward significance on illness severity and one on positive symptoms. In addition, other published and unpublished data were included in another meta-analysis that concluded the significant effect of add-on celecoxib in positive symptoms in first episode patients. There is a lack of data to determine if aspirin is truly effective in schizophrenia to date. Other anti-inflammatory agents have been explored, including hormonal therapies, antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, and minocycline, showing significant effects for reducing total, positive, and negative score symptoms and general functioning. However, each of these agents has multiple properties beyond inflammation and it remains unclear how these drugs improve schizophrenia. Conclusion: The next step is to tailor anti-inflammatory therapy in schizophrenia, with two main challenges: 1. To provide a more efficient anti-inflammatory therapeutic approach that targets specific pathways associated with the pathology of schizophrenia. 2. To develop a more personalized approach in targeting patients who have the best chance of successful treatment.

Sexual dysfunctions are associated with major depression, chronic inflammation and anticholinergic consumption in the real-world schizophrenia FACE-SZ national cohort

BACKGROUND

Sexual dysfunctions (SD) are frequent in schizophrenia (SZ) and associated with treatment withdrawal, however they remain under-explored and under-treated. To date, most of the studies have focused on SD as antipsychotics' side effects in therapeutic trials.

AIMS

The objectives of the present study were to determine the SD prevalence in stabilized SZ outpatients and their clinical, pharmacological and biological correlates.

METHOD

Two hundred and thirty-seven participants (61.2% men) were consecutively included and received a thorough 2 days- clinical assessment including the self-reported Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ). SD was defined by a SFQ score ≥ 8.

RESULTS

Two hundred and thirty-seven subjects were recruited in the FACE-SZ cohort, 41% of them reported sexual dysfunctions. In multivariate analyses, SD have been associated with current major depressive disorder (adjusted odd ratio aOR = 2.29[1.08-4.85], p = .03), anticholinergic prescription (aOR = 2.65, p = .02) and chronic low-grade inflammation (aOR = 2.09, p = .03) independently of age, gender, current cannabis use disorder and olanzapine prescription. No antipsychotic has been associated with increased or decreased SD rate.

CONCLUSIONS

SD are frequent in SZ subjects. Major depression, anticholinergic prescription and chronic low-grade peripheral inflammation may be the three targets of interest for addressing this specific issue.

Inflammatory DEpression Advances in Schizophrenia (IDEAS): A precision medicine approach of the national FACE-SZ cohort

BACKGROUND

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a therapeutic challenge in schizophrenia (SZ). Untangling different forms of MDD appears as the best current strategy to improve remission to treatment in the so-called precision medicine approach.

AIMS

The objectives of the present study were to determine (i) the prevalence of Inflammatory Depression (ID) in stabilized SZ outpatients (ii) if ID was associated with clinical or cognitive profiles that may help clinicians detecting ID (iii) if antidepressants were effective in ID and (iv) the biological correlates of ID that may orientate personalized treatments.

METHOD

Participants were consecutively included and received a thorough 2 days- clinical assessment.

RESULTS

785 subjects were recruited in the FACE-SZ cohort. 289 (36.8%) were diagnosed with MDD (remitted or unremitted), of them 57 with ID (19.7%). No clinical or cognitive features were associated with ID (all p > 0.05). ID has been associated with increased abdominal perimeter (aOR = 4.48, p = 0.002) and latent Toxoplasma infection (aOR = 2.19, p = 0.04). While antidepressants were associated with decreased depressive symptoms level in ID, 44% of the subjects remained unremitted under antidepressant, with no association with CRP blood levels.

CONCLUSIONS

ID may not differ from other forms of depression by its clinical symptoms but by its aetiologies. ID is associated with increased perivisceral fat and latent Toxoplasma infection that are both potentially related to gut/microbiota disturbances. Specific anti-inflammatory drugs and microbiota-targeted therapeutics appear as promising strategies in the treatment of inflammatory depression in schizophrenia.

Sex Difference in the Association between High-sensitivity C-reactive Protein and Depression: The 2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Elevated levels of circulating high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) have been observed in depression, with the body mass index (BMI) being a major mediator of this association. However, the sex difference in the association between hs-CRP and depression remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the sex difference in the association between hs-CRP and depression. Data from the 2016 Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey were used for our study. High hs-CRP was defined as >3.0 mg/L, while depression was determined using a cut-off score of 10 in the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The study population comprised 5,483 Korean adults. Men with high hs-CRP levels showed statistically higher prevalence of depression than those with low hs-CRP levels (8.90% vs. 3.65%, P < 0.0001). The high hs-CRP group was 1.86 times more likely to have depression after adjusting for BMI and other covariates in men (adjusted odds ratio: 1.86; 95% confidence interval: 1.07–3.25; P = 0.029). Meanwhile, no statistically significant association between hs-CRP and depression was found among women. Depression was considerably associated with hs-CRP only in men, indicating a biological difference between men and women that can independently modify the relationship between hs-CRP and depression.

Increased Peripheral Interleukin 10 Relate to White Matter Integrity in Schizophrenia

Background: Schizophrenia is characterized by the disruption of microstructural white matter (WM) integrity, while the pathogenesis remains unclear. Inflammation has been associated with the WM pathology in schizophrenia. Interleukin 10 (IL-10) has been proven to be related to schizophrenia in both animal and human models. The aim of this study was to explore whether peripheral IL-10 was associated with microstructural WM integrity in schizophrenia.

Methods: A total of 47 patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and 49 healthy controls (HC) underwent diffusion tensor imaging and venous blood sampling. Tract-based spatial statistics was conducted to explore the differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), mean diffusivity (MD), and axial diffusivity (AD) between patients and controls. A quantitative chemiluminescence assay was performed to measure peripheral IL-10 levels. General linear regression analysis using a stepwise method was applied to examine the relationship between peripheral IL-10 and diffusion measures.

Results: Compared with the HC, peripheral IL-10 levels were higher and a significant reduction of FA and AD, and increase of RD and MD were observed in SZ (corrected p < 0.05). A regression analysis revealed that peripheral IL-10 was negatively correlated with FA in the right posterior thalamic radiation and left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, in SZ (β = -0.51, p = 0.01; β = -0.47, p = 0.02, respectively) but not in HC (β = -0.01, p = 0.95; β = -0.003, p = 0.98, respectively), and the differences in regression curves were significant (z = 2.50, p = 0.01; z = 2.37, p = 0.02, respectively). IL-10 was negatively connected with MD in the right parietal arcuate fasciculus (β = -0.40, p = 0.048) and body of the corpus callosum (β = -0.43, p = 0.03) in SZ, while not in HC. The magnitude of correlation in the patient and control group was different (z = 2.48, p = 0.01 and z = 2.61, p < 0.01, respectively). In addition, IL-10 was positively correlated with RD in the right parietal arcuate fasciculus in patients (β = 0.45, p = 0.04) but not in HC (β = 0.26, p = 0.94), but the correlation coefficients were not significant (z = 0.98, p = 0.32).

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that elevated peripheral IL-10 levels were associated with the disruption of microstructural WM integrity in schizophrenia, supporting the notion that inflammation plays a regulatory role in the pathology of microstructural WM and is associated with schizophrenia.

C-reactive protein is associated with severity of thought and language dysfunction in patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and schizophrenia. However, the findings on psychotic severity and cognition remain inconsistent. The relationship between CRP and formal thought disorder in subdomains remains unclear.

METHODS

We enrolled stable patients (defined as those who had no treatment changes during the 4-week period before evaluation) with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. We used the 30-item Thought and Language Disorder (TALD) scale to evaluate thought and language dysfunction over four subscales. We assessed psychotic symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). We collected fasting venous blood and measured plasma CRP levels.

RESULTS

We enrolled 60 patients with schizophrenia. All patients received TALD and PANSS evaluation, and 33 of them had their CRP levels checked. The multivariate regression analysis indicated that CRP levels were significantly associated with the total score on the TALD (t=2.757, P=0.010) and the TALD Objective Positive subscale (t=2.749, P=0.011), after sex, age, duration of illness (in years), and use of atypical antipsychotics were adjusted for. Additionally, CRP was significantly associated with the PANSS positive subscale (t=2.102, P=0.045). A significantly positive correlation was observed between the total scores on the TALD scale and PANSS (ρ =0.751, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that abnormal CRP levels are significantly associated with formal thought and language dysfunction in the Objective Positive subdomain and positive psychotic symptoms.

[The 10-year findings from the FondaMental Academic Center of Expertise for Schizophrenia (FACE-SZ): Review and recommendations for clinical practice]

OBJECTIVES

The present article is a synthesis of the first 10 years of follow-up of the FondaMental Academic Center of Expertise for Schizophrenia (FACE-SZ) cohort.

METHODS

More than 700 community-dwelling stabilized subjects have been recruited and evaluated to date. The mean age was 32 years with 75 % males, the mean illness duration was 11 years, the mean age at illness onset was 21 years, the mean duration of untreated psychosis was 1.5 years and 55 % were current daily tobacco smokers.

RESULTS

The major findings of the FACE-SZ cohort may be summarized as follows: the metabolic syndrome is twice more frequent in schizophrenia as compared to the general population and is not correctly assessed and treated; cognitive disturbances have been found in benzodiazepine consumers and in patients with chronic low-grade peripheral inflammation; major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common current comorbid condition in about 20% of the subjects at the evaluation. MDD is associated with impaired quality of life and with increased nicotine dependency in SZ daily tobacco smokers. Improving depression and negative symptoms may be the most effective strategies to improve quality of life in schizophrenia; the duration of untreated psychosis is much longer in cannabis smokers and in subjects with an age at illness onset<19 years. Adherence to treatment is diminished in subjects who report a subjective negative feeling after treatment intake independent of objective side effects (extrapyramidal syndrome and weight gain). Akathisia has been found in 18% of the subjects and has been associated with antipsychotic polytherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

In the light of these results, some recommendations for clinical care may be suggested. The early detection of schizophrenia should be specifically increased in adolescents and/or cannabis smokers. All patients should be administered a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation at the beginning of the illness and after stabilization under treatment. Improving metabolic parameters and lifestyle (diet and physical activity) should be reinforced. The benefit/risk ratio of benzodiazepine and antipsychotic polytherapy should be regularly reevaluated and withdrawn as soon as possible. If MDD remains underdiagnosed and undertreated, improving depression may strongly improve the quality of life of SZ subjects. In the end, Cognitive Remediation Therapy and anti-inflammatory strategies should be more frequently included in therapeutic strategies.

Toward a transdiagnostic tool to evaluate depressive symptoms across mental disorders: Validation of the Calgary depression rating scale in patients with major depressive disorder

The severity of depressive symptoms across two discrete mental disorders should be evaluated with the same psychometrically validated tools. In patients with schizophrenia the Calgary Depression Rating Scale (CDSS) is recommended for evaluating depressive symptoms. The aim of this study was to validate the CDSS in patients with major depressive disorder. The CDSS exhibit satisfactory psychometric properties for evaluating depressive symptoms in major depressive disorder. Clinicians and researchers now have a validated scale at their disposal to evaluate depressive symptoms in various mental disorders using a transdiagnostic approach.

Relationships between low-grade peripheral inflammation and psychotropic drugs in schizophrenia: results from the national FACE-SZ cohort

Low-grade inflammation has repeatedly been associated with schizophrenia (SZ) and in particular with cognitive impairment. Female gender, overweight and tobacco smoking have been suggested as risk factors to increase inflammation while preclinical inconsistent findings have been found regarding the association with psychotropic drugs. The aim of this study was to explore if psychotropic drugs were associated with inflammation in SZ and to determine which psychotropic drug was associated with inflammation in stable SZ subjects while considering clinical confounding factors. Participants were consecutively included in the network of the FondaMental Expert Centers for Schizophrenia and received a thorough clinical assessment, including recording of current treatment. High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) was measured for each participant as a proxy to define peripheral low-grade inflammation. The zero-inflated Poisson regression model estimated the relationship between low-grade inflammation and psychotropic drug. Four hundred and five stabilized, community-dwelling SZ subjects (mean age = 32.6 years, 74% male gender) have been included. In total, 148 participants (36.5%) were found with undetectable blood hs-CRP level. The probability of having an undetectable CRP was associated with a lower body mass index (p < 0.0001) and no cyamemazine add-on antipsychotic therapy (p = 0.001). The other 257 participants (63.5%) were found to have low-grade inflammation (hs-CRP > 0 mg/L). Low-grade inflammation was significantly associated with female gender (p = 0.004), higher body mass index (p < 0.0001), current tobacco smoking (p < 0.0001), clomipramine (p = 0.04), quetiapine (p < 0.0001) and hypnotic (p = 0.0006) consumption while decreased hs-CRP blood levels was associated with aripiprazole (p = 0.004) and valproate/valpromide (p = 0.03) consumption. The present study suggests that some psychotropic drugs (quetiapine, cyamemazine, clomipramine) may be associated with increased peripheral low-grade inflammation in SZ patients while others (aripiprazole, valproate) may be associated with decreased peripheral low-grade inflammation. These results should be replicated in SZ and non-SZ populations and the biological underpinnings should be further explored.

Inflammatory biomarkers in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P): State or trait?

BACKGROUND

Studies linking neuro-inflammation to psychotic episodes has been rapidly expanding. Assessments of changes in inflammatory biomarkers in prodromal patients who subsequently convert to psychosis may help in predicting those likely to transition to psychosis.

METHODS

We reviewed the literature for original studies that measured inflammatory biomarkers in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P), and compared pro-inflammatory biomarker data between converters and non-converters to psychosis as well as in healthy controls.

RESULTS

Our search yielded 15 studies. Our findings suggest a possible role of plasma levels of Interleukins-1β, 7, 8, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, cortisol, albumin and salivary cortisol, measured at baseline, as predictors of psychotic transition. Both baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin-6 levels were not shown to discriminate between converters and non-converters to psychosis. The dearth of longitudinal biomarker measures, before and after treating the psychotic episodes, was a limitation for assessing inflammatory biomarkers as trait vs state marker properties of biomarkers.

DISCUSSION

Gaps of data in published studies prevent confirming whether inflammatory biomarkers are state or trait indicators of transition to psychosis in the CHR-P populations. Future investigations should be designed to longitudinally measure inflammatory biomarkers in order to navigate the extensive heterogeneity of the schizophrenia syndrome and its prodrome.

Remission of depression in patients with schizophrenia and comorbid major depressive disorder: results from the FACE-SZ cohort

BACKGROUND

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is underdiagnosed and undertreated in schizophrenia, and has been strongly associated with impaired quality of life.AimsTo determine the prevalence and associated factors of MDD and unremitted MDD in schizophrenia, to compare treated and non-treated MDD.

METHOD

Participants were included in the FondaMental Expert Centers for Schizophrenia and received a thorough clinical assessment. MDD was defined by a Calgary score ≥6. Non-remitted MDD was defined by current antidepressant treatment (unchanged for >8 weeks) and current Calgary score ≥6.

RESULTS

613 patients were included and 175 (28.5%) were identified with current MDD. MDD has been significantly associated with respectively paranoid delusion (odds ratio 1.8; P = 0.01), avolition (odds ratio 1.8; P = 0.02), blunted affect (odds ratio 1.7; P = 0.04) and benzodiazepine consumption (odds ratio 1.8; P = 0.02). Antidepressants were associated with lower depressive symptoms score (5.4 v. 9.5; P < 0.0001); however, 44.1% of treated patients remained in non-remittance MDD. Nonremitters were found to have more paranoid delusion (odds ratio 2.3; P = 0.009) and more current alcohol misuse disorder (odds ratio 4.8; P = 0.04). No antidepressant class or specific antipsychotic were associated with higher or lower response to antidepressant treatment. MDD was associated with Metabolic syndrome (31.4 v. 20.2%; P = 0.006) but not with increased C-reactive protein.

CONCLUSIONS

Antidepressant administration is associated with lower depressive symptom level in patients with schizophrenia and MDD. Paranoid delusions and alcohol misuse disorder should be specifically explored and treated in cases of non-remission under treatment. MetS may play a role in MDD onset and/or maintenance in patients with schizophrenia.Declaration of interestNone.

Inflammation, substance use, psychopathology, and cognition in phase 1 of the clinical antipsychotic trials of intervention effectiveness study

INTRODUCTION

Schizophrenia has been associated with aberrant blood levels of inflammatory markers. However, patients with comorbid illicit drug use have been inadequately studied with respect to immune function. Furthermore, associations between inflammatory markers, psychopathology, and cognition have been inconsistently considered. We investigated relationships between inflammatory markers, comorbid marijuana and cocaine use, and psychopathology and cognition in patients with schizophrenia.

METHOD

For subjects with available fasting data from the baseline visit of the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) schizophrenia trial, inflammatory markers were investigated as predictors of psychopathology and cognition in patients with and without comorbid marijuana or cocaine use, using linear regression models controlling for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

Compared to subjects with a negative urine drug screen (UDS), marijuana use was a predictor of higher lymphocytes and E-selectin, and lower leptin (p≤0.04 for each); cocaine use was a predictor of higher adiponectin (p=0.04). In subjects with marijuana use, lower WBC and higher IL-6 were predictors of higher PANSS total score (p<0.05 for each). In subjects with cocaine use, lower total and differential WBC were predictors of higher PANSS total score (p<0.04 for each). In younger, non-obese subjects with a negative UDS, higher monocytes and IL-6 were predictors of PANSS total score (p<0.04 for each).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide additional evidence that inflammation may be associated with psychopathology and cognition in some patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, there is preliminary evidence for differential effects of comorbid marijuana and cocaine use on these relationships.

C-Reactive Protein as a Peripheral Biomarker in Schizophrenia. An Updated Systematic Review

Objectives: The objective of this systematic review was to synthetize the published data on the relationships between elevated blood C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and schizophrenia (SZ) onset risk, illness characteristics and treatments, cognition and physical health. Method: The systematic bibliographic searches have been carried out according to the Cochrane methodology. Medline, web of science, Google Scholar with each database being searched from inception to November 2017. Results: 53 studies were included in the present review. While meta-analyses including case-control studies suggest a clear association between CRP and SZ, one other study has suggested that CRP-associated genes were associated with a lower risk of SZ onset. Increased CRP has been significantly associated with positive symptoms in acute phase psychosis, while studies including community-dwelling stabilized subjects did not find such an association. Abnormal CRP has been associated with a wide range of cognitive impairment in SZ stabilized individuals. Body Mass index has been extensively associated with increased CRP in SZ subjects; and increased CRP has been identified as a risk factor for metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular risk in SZ subjects. Increased CRP has also been associated with high nicotine dependence in SZ smokers and one study has suggested that increased CRP was associated with sedentary behavior. Conclusion: In the light of the above-mentioned studies, increased hs-CRP may be reasonably suggested as a marker for SZ onset risk, as well as a risk factor for increased positive symptoms, cognitive impairment, hypovitaminosis D, microbiota disturbances, cardiovascular and metabolic syndrome risk in SZ subjects, and increased nicotine dependence in SZ smokers. In case of increased CRP levels, anti-inflammatory strategies (add-on anti-inflammatory drugs including aspirin and omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin D supplementation, physical activity, probiotics) should be also further evaluated. Limits: Most of the studies were cross-sectional and cohort studies are needed to determine the temporal relationship between increased CRP and the psychiatric outcomes.

High C-reactive protein levels are associated with depressive symptoms in schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Depressive symptoms are frequently associated with schizophrenia symptoms. C - Reactive protein (CRP), a marker of chronic inflammation, had been found elevated in patients with schizophrenia and in patients with depressive symptoms. However, the association between CRP level and depressive symptoms has been poorly investigated in patients with schizophrenia. The only study conducted found an association between high CRP levels and antidepressant consumption, but not with depressive symptoms investigated with the Calgary Depression Rating Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS).

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate CRP levels and depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, and to determine whether high CRP levels are associated with depressive symptoms and/or antidepressant consumption, independently of potential confounding factors, especially tobacco-smoking and metabolic syndrome.

METHODS

Three hundred and seven patients with schizophrenia were enrolled in this study (mean age = 35.74 years, 69.1% male gender). Depressive symptoms was investigated with the CDSS. Patients were classified in two groups: normal CRP level (≤ 3.0mg/L) and high CRP level (> 3.0mg/L). Current medication was recorded.

RESULTS

124 subjects (40.4%) were classified in the high CRP level group. After adjusting for confounding factors, these patients were found to have higher CDSS scores than those with normal CRP levels in multivariate analyses (p = 0.035, OR = 1.067, 95% CI = 1.004-1.132). No significant association between CRP levels and antidepressants consumption was found.

LIMITATIONS

The size sample is relatively small. The cut-off point for high cardiovascular risk was used to define the two groups. CRP was the sole marker of inflammation in this study and was collected at only one time point. The design of this study is cross-sectional and there are no conclusions about the directionality of the association between depression and inflammation in schizophrenia.

CONCLUSION

This study found an association between high rates of CRP levels and depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, but no association with antidepressant consumption. Further studies are needed to investigate the impact of inflammation in schizophrenia.

Chronic low-grade peripheral inflammation is associated with severe nicotine dependence in schizophrenia: results from the national multicentric FACE-SZ cohort

Chronic peripheral inflammation (CPI) has been associated with cognitive impairment in schizophrenia (SZ). However, its sources remain unclear, more specifically it is not known whether tobacco smoking is a source of inflammation or not in SZ subjects. Moreover, nicotine (NIC), the major psychoactive compound of tobacco, shows strong anti-inflammatory properties in vitro, as well as inducing a severe biological dependence when administered repeatedly. The objective of the present study was to determine if CPI was associated with tobacco smoking and/or NIC dependence in schizophrenia. Three hundred and forty five stabilized community-dwelling SZ subjects aged 16 years or older (mean age = 32 years, 73% male) were consecutively included in the network of the FondaMental Expert Centers for Schizophrenia and assessed with validated scales. CPI was defined by a highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) ≥3 mg/L. Current tobacco status was self-declared. Severe NIC dependence was defined by a Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence score ≥7. Overall, 159 (46.1%) were non-smokers, 117 (33.9%) and 69 (20%) were current tobacco smokers with, respectively, low and severe nicotine dependence. In a multivariate model, CPI remained associated with severe NIC dependence (29 vs 15%, OR = 2.8, p = 0.003) and body mass index (OR = 1.1, p < 0.0001), independently of socio-demographic characteristics and antidepressant intake. No association of CPI with low to moderate tobacco smoking dependence, number of daily smoked cigarettes, cannabis use, alcohol use or illness characteristics was found (all p > 0.05). CPI was associated with severe NIC dependence but not with tobacco smoking with low to moderate NIC dependence in SZ, independently of socio-demographic variables, body mass index, alcohol consumption and antidepressant intake. This result highlights the potential CPI consequences of the high prevalence of heavy tobacco smoking in SZ, indicating the importance of new therapeutic strategies for tobacco cessation in SZ.

Childhood trauma, depression and negative symptoms are independently associated with impaired quality of life in schizophrenia. Results from the national FACE-SZ cohort

OBJECTIVES

Depression and negative symptoms have been associated with impaired Quality of life (QoL) in schizophrenia (SZ). However, childhood trauma may influence both QoL and depression in SZ patients, with consequences for the management of impaired QoL in SZ patients. The aim of the present study was to determine if childhood trauma was associated with impaired QoL in schizophrenia.

METHOD

A sample of 544 community-dwelling stabilized SZ patients enrolled in FACE-SZ cohort were utilized in this study (74.1% males, mean aged 32.3years, mean illness duration 10.6years). QoL was self-reported with the S-QoL18 questionnaire. Childhood trauma was self-reported with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Depression was measured by the Calgary Depression Rating Scale for Schizophrenia. Psychotic severity was measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for Schizophrenia (PANSS). Other clinical factors, treatments, comorbidities, functioning and sociodemographical variables were also recorded, with validated scales.

RESULTS

Overall, 151 participants (27.8%) had a current major depressive episode and 406 (82.5%) reported at least one episode of historical childhood trauma. In multivariate analyses, lower QoL total score was associated with a history of childhood trauma (β=-0.21, p<0.0001), psychotic negative symptoms (β=-0.11, p=0.04), current depression (β=-0.0.38, p<0.0001) and male gender (β=-0.16, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Impaired QoL is independently associated with negative symptoms, depression and childhood trauma in schizophrenia.

Chronic Peripheral Inflammation is Associated With Cognitive Impairment in Schizophrenia: Results From the Multicentric FACE-SZ Dataset

OBJECTIVES

Inflammation, measured by abnormal blood C-reactive protein (CRP) level, has been described in schizophrenia (SZ), being inconsistently related to impaired cognitive functions. The aim of the present study is to investigate cognitive impairment associated with abnormal CRP levels in a large multi-centric sample of community-dwelling SZ patients, using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.

METHOD

Three hundred sixty-nine community-dwelling stable SZ subjects (76.2% men, mean age 32.7 y) were included and tested with a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. Abnormal CRP level was defined as >3mg/L.

RESULTS

Multiple factor analysis revealed that abnormal CRP levels, found in 104 patients (28.2%), were associated with impaired General Intellectual Ability and Abstract Reasoning (aOR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.35-0.90, P = .014), independently of age, sex, education level, psychotic symptomatology, treatments, and addiction comorbidities. Abnormal CRP levels were also associated with the decline of all components of working memory (respectively effect size [ES] = 0.25, P = .033; ES = 0.27, P = .04; ES = 0.33, P = .006; and ES = 0.38, P = .004) and a wide range of other impaired cognitive functions, including memory (ES = 0.26, P = .026), learning abilities (ES = 0.28, P = .035), semantic memory (ES = 0.26, P = .026), mental flexibility (ES = 0.26, P = .044), visual attention (ES = 0.23, P = .004) and speed of processing (ES = 0.23, P = .043).

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that abnormal CRP level is associated with cognitive impairment in SZ. Evaluating the effectiveness of neuroprotective anti-inflammatory strategies is needed in order to prevent cognitive impairment in SZ.