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Marazziti D, Diep PT, Carter S, Carbone MG. Oxytocin: An Old Hormone, A Novel Psychotropic Drug And Possible Use In Treating Psychiatric Disorders. Curr Med Chem 2022; 29:5615-5687. [PMID: 35894453 DOI: 10.2174/0929867329666220727120646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxytocin is a nonapeptide synthesized in the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Historically, this molecule has been involved as a key factor in the formation of infant attachment, maternal behavior and pair bonding and, more generally, in linking social signals with cognition, behaviors and reward. In the last decades, the whole oxytocin system has gained a growing interest as it was proposed to be implicated in etiopathogenesis of several neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. METHODS With the main goal of an in-depth understanding of the oxytocin role in the regulation of different functions and complex behaviors as well as its intriguing implications in different neuropsychiatric disorders, we performed a critical review of the current state of art. We carried out this work through PubMed database up to June 2021 with the search terms: 1) "oxytocin and neuropsychiatric disorders"; 2) "oxytocin and neurodevelopmental disorders"; 3) "oxytocin and anorexia"; 4) "oxytocin and eating disorders"; 5) "oxytocin and obsessive-compulsive disorder"; 6) "oxytocin and schizophrenia"; 7) "oxytocin and depression"; 8) "oxytocin and bipolar disorder"; 9) "oxytocin and psychosis"; 10) "oxytocin and anxiety"; 11) "oxytocin and personality disorder"; 12) "oxytocin and PTSD". RESULTS Biological, genetic, and epigenetic studies highlighted quality and quantity modifications in the expression of oxytocin peptide or in oxytocin receptor isoforms. These alterations would seem to be correlated with a higher risk of presenting several neuropsychiatric disorders belonging to different psychopathological spectra. Collaterally, the exogenous oxytocin administration has shown to ameliorate many neuropsychiatric clinical conditions. CONCLUSION Finally, we briefly analyzed the potential pharmacological use of oxytocin in patient with severe symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and immunoregulatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donatella Marazziti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry, University of Pisa, Italy.,Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Rome, Italy
| | - Phuoc-Tan Diep
- Department of Histopathology, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Sue Carter
- Director Kinsey Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Manuel G Carbone
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Division of Psychiatry, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy
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Franscescon F, Souza TP, Müller TE, Michelotti P, Canzian J, Stefanello FV, Rosemberg DB. Taurine prevents MK-801-induced shoal dispersion and altered cortisol responses in zebrafish. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 111:110399. [PMID: 34246730 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by a shortened lifespan and significant impaired social and vocational functioning. Schizophrenic patients can present hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunctions and cortisol dysregulation, which play an important role on the etiology onset, exacerbation, and relapsing of symptoms. Based on its intrinsic neuroprotective properties, taurine is considered a promising substance with beneficial role on various brain disorders, including schizophrenia. Here, we evaluated the effects of taurine on shoaling behavior and whole-body cortisol levels in zebrafish treated with dizocilpine (MK-801), which elicits schizophrenia-like phenotypes in animal models. Briefly, zebrafish shoals (4 fish per shoal) were exposed to dechlorinated water or taurine (42, 150, or 400 mg/L) for 60 min. Then, saline (PBS, pH 7.4 or 2.0 mg/kg MK-801) were intraperitoneally injected and zebrafish behavior was recorded 15 min later. In general, MK-801 disrupted shoaling behavior and reduced whole-body cortisol levels in zebrafish. All taurine pretreatments prevented MK-801-induced increase in shoal area, while 400 mg/L taurine prevented the MK-801-induced alterations in neuroendocrine responses. Moreover, all taurine-pretreated groups showed increased geotaxis, supporting a modulatory role in the overall dispersion pattern of the shoal. Collectively, our novel findings show a potential protective effect of taurine on MK-801-induced shoal dispersion and altered neuroendocrine responses, fostering the use of zebrafish models to assess schizophrenia-like phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francini Franscescon
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.
| | - Thiele P Souza
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Talise E Müller
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Paula Michelotti
- Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Julia Canzian
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Flavia V Stefanello
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Laboratory of Experimental Neuropsychobiology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Natural and Exact Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Graduate Program in Biological Sciences: Toxicological Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Maria. 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; The International Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), 309 Palmer Court, Slidell, LA 70458, USA.
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3
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Yang F, Hong X, Tao J, Chen Y, Zhang Y, Xiao H. Hair cortisol, social support, personality traits, and clinical course: differences in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Brain Behav 2021; 11:e2412. [PMID: 34775692 PMCID: PMC8671778 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the differences in the relationship between hair cortisol concentration (HCC) and psychosocial stress, social support, clinical features, clinical course, and outcome in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. METHODS A total of 109 schizophrenia patients, 93 bipolar disorder patients and 86 healthy controls between 18 and 60 years old were enrolled in the study. Linear regression and factor analysis were employed to examine and compare the relationship between HCC and childhood trauma, the number of stressful life events, the amount of social support in the three months before the hair cortisol assessment, clinical fearures, clinical course, and outcome in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. RESULTS HCC is significantly associated with clinical syndromes, including depression-anxiety factor of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale in schizophrenia patients, and thought disorder in bipolar disorder patients. However, HCC is positively related to social support and personality traits only in schizophrenia patients but not in bipolar disorder patients. Factor analysis indicates schizophrenia and bipolar disorder share a very similar but somewhat different structure in terms of HCC, psychosocial stress, social support, clinical features, clinical course, and outcome. CONCLUSION Findings support that schizophrenia and bipolar disoder have a significant overlap in both clinical characteristics and enviromental risk factors. Aberrant HCC contributes to the complexity of clinical characteristics mainly in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuzhong Yang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangfei Hong
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jing Tao
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yupeng Chen
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanbo Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Hua Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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Si G, Xu Y, Li M, Zhang Y, Peng S, Tan X. Sleep quality and associated factors during the COVID-19 epidemic among community non-medical anti-epidemic Workers of Wuhan, China. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:1270. [PMID: 34193093 PMCID: PMC8242282 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11312-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in December 2019, community non-medical anti-epidemic workers have played an important role in the prevention of COVID-19 in China. The present study aimed to assess sleep quality and its associated factors among community non-medical anti-epidemic workers. METHOD A survey was conducted using anonymous online questionnaire to collect information from 16 March 2020 to 24 March 2020. A total of 474 participants were included, with a 94.23% completion rate. The questionnaire contained demographic data, physical symptoms, and contact history with COVID-19. The researchers assessed perceived social support by the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), assessed perceived stress by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and measured sleep quality by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. RESULTS Among the participants, 46.20% reported poor sleep quality. A binary logistic regression revealed that having educational background of junior college or above, being a member of the police force, having contacted individuals with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection, having chronic disease(s), having illness within 2 weeks, and having high or moderate perceived stress were significant factors associated with an increased risk of poor sleep quality. CONCLUSION Demographic factors, physical symptoms, history of contact with COVID-19, and perceived stress are significantly associated with poor sleep quality of community non-medical anti-epidemic workers. Thus, targeting these factors might be helpful in enhancing sleep quality of community workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanglin Si
- School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yi Xu
- School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Mengying Li
- School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yuting Zhang
- School of Nursing, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518037, China
| | - Shuzhen Peng
- Huangpi District People's Hospital, Wuhan, 430300, China.
| | - Xiaodong Tan
- School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China. .,Wuchang University of Technology, Wuhan, 430223, China.
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5
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Ferrer-Pérez C, Reguilón MD, Miñarro J, Rodríguez-Arias M. Oxytocin Signaling as a Target to Block Social Defeat-Induced Increases in Drug Abuse Reward. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052372. [PMID: 33673448 PMCID: PMC7956822 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
There is huge scientific interest in the neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) due to its putative capacity to modulate a wide spectrum of physiological and cognitive processes including motivation, learning, emotion, and the stress response. The present review seeks to increase the understanding of the role of OXT in an individual’s vulnerability or resilience with regard to developing a substance use disorder. It places specific attention on the role of social stress as a risk factor of addiction, and explores the hypothesis that OXT constitutes a homeostatic response to stress that buffers against its negative impact. For this purpose, the review summarizes preclinical and clinical literature regarding the effects of OXT in different stages of the addiction cycle. The current literature affirms that a well-functioning oxytocinergic system has protective effects such as the modulation of the initial response to drugs of abuse, the attenuation of the development of dependence, the blunting of drug reinstatement and a general anti-stress effect. However, this system is dysregulated if there is continuous drug use or chronic exposure to stress. In this context, OXT is emerging as a promising pharmacotherapy to restore its natural beneficial effects in the organism and to help rebalance the functions of the addicted brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Ferrer-Pérez
- Department of Psychology and Sociology, University of Zaragoza, C/Ciudad Escolar s/n, 44003 Teruel, Spain;
| | - Marina D. Reguilón
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (M.D.R.); (J.M.)
| | - José Miñarro
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (M.D.R.); (J.M.)
| | - Marta Rodríguez-Arias
- Unit of Research Psychobiology of Drug Dependence, Department of Psychobiology, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de Valencia, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010 Valencia, Spain; (M.D.R.); (J.M.)
- Correspondence:
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Comer AL, Carrier M, Tremblay MÈ, Cruz-Martín A. The Inflamed Brain in Schizophrenia: The Convergence of Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors That Lead to Uncontrolled Neuroinflammation. Front Cell Neurosci 2020; 14:274. [PMID: 33061891 PMCID: PMC7518314 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2020.00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a disorder with a heterogeneous etiology involving complex interplay between genetic and environmental risk factors. The immune system is now known to play vital roles in nervous system function and pathology through regulating neuronal and glial development, synaptic plasticity, and behavior. In this regard, the immune system is positioned as a common link between the seemingly diverse genetic and environmental risk factors for schizophrenia. Synthesizing information about how the immune-brain axis is affected by multiple factors and how these factors might interact in schizophrenia is necessary to better understand the pathogenesis of this disease. Such knowledge will aid in the development of more translatable animal models that may lead to effective therapeutic interventions. Here, we provide an overview of the genetic risk factors for schizophrenia that modulate immune function. We also explore environmental factors for schizophrenia including exposure to pollution, gut dysbiosis, maternal immune activation and early-life stress, and how the consequences of these risk factors are linked to microglial function and dysfunction. We also propose that morphological and signaling deficits of the blood-brain barrier, as observed in some individuals with schizophrenia, can act as a gateway between peripheral and central nervous system inflammation, thus affecting microglia in their essential functions. Finally, we describe the diverse roles that microglia play in response to neuroinflammation and their impact on brain development and homeostasis, as well as schizophrenia pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L. Comer
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Micaël Carrier
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
| | - Marie-Ève Tremblay
- Axe Neurosciences, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Université Laval, Québec City, QC, Canada
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alberto Cruz-Martín
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Neurophotonics Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Systems Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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7
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Associations between physiological responses to social-evaluative stress and daily functioning in first-episode schizophrenia. Schizophr Res 2020; 218:233-239. [PMID: 31948901 PMCID: PMC7299766 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2019.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SZ) is associated with impaired adaptive functioning, including difficulties managing the demands of independent living, work, school, and interpersonal relationships. Prior studies have linked the physiological stress response with less effective coping in daily life. Differences in stress-response tendencies may also support heterogeneity in daily functioning in SZ. The present study examined two established measures of the stress response in patients with first-episode SZ. Salivary cortisol was included as an index of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response. Vagal suppression (VS), a measure of stress-related reduction in heart rate variability, was used to assess parasympathetic flexibility. Greater cortisol response and VS to social-evaluative stress were predicted to be associated with better functioning in SZ over and above relationships with social cognition and neurocognition, two well-established predictors of functional outcome. Thirty-eight first-episode SZ outpatients and 29 healthy comparison subjects (HC) provided social cognitive, neurocognitive, and physiological measurements before and after the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Although SZ and HC did not differ on VS to the TSST, patients exhibited significant associations between VS and functioning across all four domains of the Role Functioning Scale. Furthermore, greater VS predicted more effective functioning with friends, beyond the contributions associated with social cognition and neurocognition, and strengthened the positive effects of higher levels of social cognition on independent living/self-care. VS elicited by social-evaluative stress in the laboratory may reflect stress-response tendencies in daily life that are relevant for daily functioning in first-episode SZ.
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Zhu Y, Ji H, Tao L, Cai Q, Wang F, Ji W, Li G, Fang Y. Functional Status of Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axes in Hospitalized Schizophrenics in Shanghai. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:65. [PMID: 32174848 PMCID: PMC7056840 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neuroendocrine dysfunction is related to the pathogenesis of mental disorders, but conclusions from clinical research lack consistency. We aimed to investigate the neuroendocrinal pathophysiology and its correlation with clinical symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS The present cross-sectional study included 486 inpatients with schizophrenia admitted at a psychiatric hospital in Shanghai within one year, and 154 healthy controls (HC) matched on age and gender. The serum hemoconcentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), total triiodothyronine (TT3), total thyroxine (TT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol (COR) were measured via electrochemical luminescence immunoassay. Pathophysiological conversions of neuroendocrine were then associated with gender, age, age at onset, antipsychotic treatment using hierarchical multiple linear regression. RESULTS When compared to HC, the schizophrenia group showed elevated ACTH and COR levels and decreased TT3 and TT4 levels (p's < 0.05). First-episode patients showed lower TSH and higher FT3 and FT4 (p's < 0.05) compared to recurrent patients. Female patients showed higher TSH and lower TT3, FT3, and ACTH levels (p's < 0.05) compared to males. We observed the area under the curve (AUC) of the predictive model to distinguish between schizophrenia and HC to be 0.737 among total samples and between first-episode and recurrent schizophrenia to be 0.890 among subgroups. CONCLUSIONS Decreased TT3 and TT4 and elevated ACTH and COR levels appear to be associated with schizophrenia symptoms. The chronic recurrent trait of schizophrenia may cause long-term effects on FT3 and FT4 while changes in thyroid, and adrenal function as a result of mental disorder varied with gender. The pathophysiological parameters provide fair to good accuracy of these models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuncheng Zhu
- Clinical Research Center & Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Division of Psychiatry, Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Affiliated Greenland Hospital of Bio-X Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haifeng Ji
- Division of Psychiatry, Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Affiliated Greenland Hospital of Bio-X Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lily Tao
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing Cai
- Key Laboratory of Brain Functional Genomics (MOE & STCSM), Shanghai Changning-ECNU Mental Health Center, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Division of Psychiatry, Shanghai Yangpu Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Weidong Ji
- Division of Psychiatry, Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, Affiliated Greenland Hospital of Bio-X Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guohai Li
- Zhenjiang Mental Health Center, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yiru Fang
- Clinical Research Center & Division of Mood Disorders, Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, Shanghai, China
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9
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Yang F, Cao X, Sun X, Wen H, Qiu J, Xiao H. Hair Cortisol Is Associated With Social Support and Symptoms in Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:572656. [PMID: 33192700 PMCID: PMC7541838 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.572656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Psychosocial stressors may worsen psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia, while social support could protect against the effects of stress in schizophrenia. Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction has been associated with schizophrenia. Hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) allow assessment of cumulative cortisol secretion over the preceding 3 months. The relationship between HCC, psychosocial stressors, social support, and the clinical characteristics of schizophrenia needs to be explored. METHODS One hundred nine schizophrenia patients and 86 healthy controls between the ages of 18 and 60 were enrolled in the study. Three-centimeter samples of hair were collected from the scalp and HCC were measured using ELISA kits. Linear regression and factor analysis were employed to examine the relationship between HCC, childhood trauma, the number of stressful life events (SLE), the amount of social support in the 3 months prior to the hair cortisol assessment and clinical characteristics of schizophrenia. RESULTS Schizophrenia patients experience more SLE in their lifetime, receive less social support, and have lower HCC in the recent 3 months compared to healthy controls. In the schizophrenia patients, HCC are positively associated with the amount of social support and negatively associated with the severity of delusions. The interaction between social support and SLE predicts decreased HCC. Factor analysis shows that a subgroup of schizophrenia patients who experience childhood trauma and SLE are characterized by decreased HCC. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate social support could be a moderator for the relationship between SLE and HCC which may attenuate the effects of SLE in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuzhong Yang
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyi Cao
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiujia Sun
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Wen
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianyin Qiu
- Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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10
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Gonzalez-Blanco L, Garcia-Portilla MP, Dal Santo F, Garcia-Alvarez L, de la Fuente-Tomas L, Menendez-Miranda I, Bobes-Bascaran T, Saiz PA, Bobes J. Predicting real-world functioning in outpatients with schizophrenia: Role of inflammation and psychopathology. Psychiatry Res 2019; 280:112509. [PMID: 31446217 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/04/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Several studies indicate that negative and cognitive symptoms are determining factors of functioning in patients with schizophrenia. However, they do not usually include biological aspects, such as inflammatory markers. The current prospective study aims to identify clinical and biological factors predicting real-world functioning, at baseline and at one-year follow-up, of outpatients in an early stage of schizophrenia. Sample consist of 73 clinically stable patients with schizophrenia, of which 57 completed the one-year follow-up. Accurate psychopathology, functioning, and cognitive assessments were performed at baseline and follow-up (Positive and Negative Syndrome, Brief Negative Symptom, Calgary Depression, Personal and Social Performance Scales, and MATRICS Cognitive Consensus Battery). Biological biomarkers including anthropometric data and blood parameters were collected. Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses including potential confounding factors were performed. Negative symptoms (especially asociality and avolition), along with the inflammatory biomarker interleukin-2, are the most important determining factors of poor real-world functioning in early-stage schizophrenia. The previous functioning, along with baseline cognitive performance in attention and vigilance, predicts functioning at one-year follow-up in these patients. Strategies aimed at improving negative and cognitive symptoms, as well as modifying certain inflammatory pathways, should be the targets to achieve functional recovery in the first years of schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Gonzalez-Blanco
- Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Maria Paz Garcia-Portilla
- Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Francesco Dal Santo
- Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain.
| | - Leticia Garcia-Alvarez
- Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Lorena de la Fuente-Tomas
- Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Isabel Menendez-Miranda
- Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Teresa Bobes-Bascaran
- Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Pilar A Saiz
- Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Spain
| | - Julio Bobes
- Servicio de Salud del Principado de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomedica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Neurociencias del Principado de Asturias (INEUROPA), Oviedo, Spain; Department of Psychiatry, University of Oviedo, Spain
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Cortisol stress response in psychosis from the high-risk to the chronic stage: a systematic review. Ir J Psychol Med 2019; 36:305-315. [PMID: 31317845 DOI: 10.1017/ipm.2019.27] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We review studies of whether cortisol levels following psychosocial stress exposure differ between patients with psychosis and healthy control subjects. METHODS Original research published between 1993 and February 2019 was included in the literature search. Studies that used experimentally induced psychosocial stress and reported stress response measures of plasma or saliva cortisol levels in patients at any stage of illness (i.e. high risk, first episode and chronic phase) were included. RESULTS A total of 17 studies were included. Although there was evidence of inconsistencies in measures, we observed moderate evidence of an association with stress-induced cortisol blunting response across studies. CONCLUSIONS This review highlights recent evidence of blunting of cortisol response following experimentally induced psychosocial stress. While there was some evidence of this blunted response across illness types and stages, the strongest evidence was observed for those with chronic schizophrenia. Due to the low number of studies, in particular in bipolar disorder, much work is still needed to accurately characterise the biological effects of stress in psychosis.
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