ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the role of decorin (DCN) on the pathogenesis of schizophrenia by analyzing the correlation between serum DCN levels and cognitive impairment in the first-episode drug-native (FEDN) patients with schizophrenia.Methods 30 FEDN patients with schizophrenia and 30 age and gender matched healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled.The psychopathological symptoms were assessed by the PANSS and the cognitive function was assessed by the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB).The serum DCN levels were measured by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).The difference of DCN levels between the two groups were compared and the correlations of serum DCN levels to age,sex,the score of the MCCB and PANSS were analyzed.Results The serum DCN levels were lower in patients with schizophrenia than those in control group ((1.56±0.96) ng/ml vs (3.35± 1.71) ng/ml,P＜ 0.01).The serum DCN levels were positively correlated with the positive symptom score (r=0.41,P=0.03).The serum DCN levels were significantly negatively correlated with MCCB verbal fluency (r =-0.40,P =0.04),verbal memory (r=-0.42,P=0.02),visual memory (r=-0.39,P=0.04),continuous operation (r=-0.41,P=0.03),encoding symbols (r=-0.49,P=0.01),T line (r=-0.42,P=0.02) and total score (r=-0.55,P＜0.01),and after controlling the age and gender,the relationships were still exist.Conclusion It suggests that serum DCN levels are associated with cognitive function in first-episode patients with schizophrenia,and that DCN may be involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the association between catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT)Vall58Met polymorphism and prepulse inhibition of the auditory startle reflex (PPI) in patients with schizophrenia.Methods:Totally 178 patients with schizophrenia and 190 healthy volunteers were recruited.The auditory startle reflex was detected by using SR-HLAB monitoring system.The indexed of the auditory startle reflex included the amplitude,habituation％ and PPI30,PPI60,PPI120 (the lead interval was set 30 ms,60 ms,120 ms).COMT Vall58Met polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RELP).The differences of PPI among COMT genotypes were compared.Results:Compared to the healthy volunteers,patients with schizophrenia had a significant lower the amplitude of auditory startle reflex[(563± 460) mV vs (695 ± 447) mY,P ＜ 0.05] and habituation％ [(32 ± 46) vs (48 ± 33),P ＜ 0.01] as well as the ％PPI120[(27 ± 5) vs (35 ± 3),P ＜ 0.05].The significant differences in COMT allelic and genotypic distribions were observed between patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers (x2 =8.16,11.74,Ps ＜ 0.05).The significant main effect of COMT genotype on habituation％ was observed (P ＜0.05) but no interaction genotype by diagnosis on the amplitude of auditory startle reflex,habituation％ and ％ PPI120 was observed (Ps ＞ 0.05).Conclusions:There may be a correlation between COMT genotype and adaptability,but not between COMT genotype and PPI deficit present in patients with schizophrenia