Leukocyte telomere length variation in different stages of schizophrenia. (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maurya, Pawan Kumar; Rizzo, Lucas Bortolotto; Xavier, Gabriela; Tempaku, Priscila Farias; Ota, Vanessa Kiyomi; Santoro, Marcos L.; Spíndola, Letícia M.; Moretti, Patrícia S.; Mazzotti, Diego R.; Gadelha, Ary; Gouvea, Eduardo S.; Noto, Cristiano; Maes, Michael; Cordeiro, Quirino; Bressan, Rodrigo A.; Brietzke, Elisa; Belangero, Sintia Iole
• Is Part Of: Journal of psychiatric research. Volume 96(2018)
• Page Start: 218
• Page End: 223
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: Telomere length -- First-episode psychosis -- Schizophrenia -- Progression; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Mental Disorders -- Periodicals; Maladies mentales -- Périodiques; Psychiatry; Electronic journals; Periodicals; 616.89005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.10.016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-3956

Abstract

Abstract: Recent research has demonstrated that telomere maintenance might be a key integrating point for the cumulative effect of genetic and environmental factors in patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and schizophrenia (SCZ). Eighty-one participants with antipsychotic-naïve FEP, 173 with SCZ and 438 HC were enrolled in this study. Psychiatric diagnosis was assessed using the Semi-Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis-I (SCID-I). The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS) were used to measure symptoms severity. Telomere length (TL) was determined using a multiplex qPCR assay. After adjustment for age, years of education, and smoking status, we found that patients with SCZ had longer TL (relative ratio (RR) = 1.08) than the HC group (RR = 1.00, Wald χ 2 = 12.48, p = 0.002). Further, non-remitted SCZ patients presented longer TL (RR = 1.00) compared to remitted SCZ (RR = 0.88, Wald χ 2 = 7.20, p = 0.007). TL in patients also correlated to psychopathology assessment in terms of total (p = 0.003) and positive PANSS scores (p = 0.001). No correlation with negative PANSS, YMRS, and CDSS or effects of medication was found on TL. Although the exact pathways underlying longer TL in SCZ patients remain unclear, these findings raise more questions than answers and suggest that TL may be of immense value on SCZ progression. Further studies are required to investigate the association of TL in FEP and SCZ.