Mazhari Shahrzad, Arjmand Shokouh, Eslami Shahrbabaki Mahin, Karimi Ghoughari Elham
Neuroscience Research Centre, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Basic Clin Neurosci. 2020 Sep-Oct;11(5):649-657. doi: 10.32598/bcn.9.10.11.5.2116.1. Epub 2020 Sep 1.
The altered serum profiles of several trace elements have been reported in Schizophrenia (SCZ). This study was designed to elucidate whether the serum levels of Copper (Cu) and Magnesium (Mg), the two essential trace elements which contribute to neurotransmitter transmission, are altered in patients with SCZ. We also investigated whether there is an interrelation between cognitive functioning and the serum levels of Cu and Mg.
Sixty patients with SCZ and 30 healthy controls participated in this study. The patient group was divided into the following: i) early patients (n=35, ≤5 years of illness initiation), and ii) chronic patients (n=25, ≥5 years of illness duration). The serum levels of Cu and Mg were measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy and ion-selective electrode potentiometry, respectively. To assess cognitive abilities, a Persian adaptation of the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS) was administered.
The present research results revealed significantly higher Cu serum levels in both patient groups [early patients (M=94.6), chronic patients (M=97.5)], compared to the controls (M=71.0) (P<0.001); however, no significant difference was observed among the study groups for Mg [patients with the recent onset (M=2.0), chronic patients (M=2.0), and controls (M=1.9)] P=0.1. While the serum Cu profile of healthy individuals revealed a negative correlation with working memory (r=-0.42, P=0.02), and executive functioning (r=-0.40, P=0.03), no significant correlation was observed between Cu serum levels of patients and BACS cognitive domains.
findings suggested that the high Cu serum concentration might impact the cognitive decline in healthy individuals; however, no significant correlation was observed in the Patients; i.e. most likely because cognition is severely impaired in SCZ. Additional studies examining trace elements in drug-naïve patients with SCZ are required.
已有报道称精神分裂症（SCZ）患者的几种微量元素血清谱发生了改变。本研究旨在阐明铜（Cu）和镁（Mg）这两种对神经递质传递起重要作用的必需微量元素的血清水平在SCZ患者中是否发生了改变。我们还研究了认知功能与Cu和Mg血清水平之间是否存在相互关系。
60例SCZ患者和30名健康对照者参与了本研究。患者组分为以下两类：i）早期患者（n = 35，发病时间≤5年），ii）慢性患者（n = 25，病程≥5年）。分别采用原子吸收光谱法和离子选择性电极电位法测定Cu和Mg的血清水平。为评估认知能力，采用了波斯语版的精神分裂症认知简短评估量表（BACS）。
本研究结果显示，与对照组（M = 71.0）相比，两个患者组的血清Cu水平均显著升高[早期患者（M = 94.6），慢性患者（M = 97.5）]（P < 0.001）；然而，研究组之间的Mg水平未观察到显著差异[近期发病患者（M = 2.0），慢性患者（M = 2.0），对照组（M = 1.9）]，P = 0.1。虽然健康个体的血清Cu谱与工作记忆（r = -0.42，P = 0.02）和执行功能（r = -0.40，P = 0.03）呈负相关，但患者的血清Cu水平与BACS认知领域之间未观察到显著相关性。
研究结果表明，血清Cu浓度升高可能会影响健康个体的认知功能下降；然而，在患者中未观察到显著相关性；即很可能是因为SCZ患者的认知功能严重受损。需要进一步研究未服用药物的SCZ患者中的微量元素。
