Plasma homocysteine, folate and B12 in chronic schizophrenia.

Elevated plasma levels of the amino acid homocysteine have been associated with schizophrenia, particularly in young male patients. Among other factors, low folate and vitamin B12 levels have been implicated in the increase in homocysteine. In order to investigate this association, we determined plasma homocysteine, folate and B12 levels in 97 (67 males and 30 females) inpatients with chronic schizophrenia and 103 (46 males and 57 females) controls. Patients and controls did not differ in folate or B12 levels, after adjusting for age. Patients with schizophrenia had higher plasma homocysteine than controls (mean=15.42 micromol/l in cases versus 11.54 micromol/l in controls: F(1,195)=17.978; p<0.001). This difference persisted after controlling for folate and B12 concentrations. Both male and female patients had increased plasma homocysteine compared to controls [(males: mean=16.61 micromol/l in cases versus mean=13.72 in controls: F(1,110)=5.54; p=0.020) (females: mean=12.78 micromol/l in cases versus mean=9.79 micromol/l in controls: F(1,84)=13.54; p<0.001)]. When dividing our sample into two age groups (age < and > or =50 years), both young and older females and younger males with schizophrenia had increased plasma homocysteine compared to controls. We therefore suggest that homocysteinemia is a general risk factor for schizophrenia. We further suggest that it is not limited to young male patients and is not necessarily associated with low folate or B12 levels.

Indices of low-grade chronic inflammation correlate with early cognitive deterioration in an elderly Greek population.

Elevated serum levels of adhesion molecules (AM) reflect low-grade chronic inflammation and have been associated with several conditions of neuronal damage. The aim of the present study was the investigation of possible correlation between early cognitive decline and inflammatory processes in the elderly as indicated by plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and AM levels. Thirty-seven subjects with dementia were selected from a community-dwelling, genetically isolated, geriatric population (above 60 years of age) based on the Mini Mental State Examination scale (MMSE) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-IV) criteria. In parallel, a group of 33 age-matched healthy controls were selected from the same population. The levels of CRP (mg/l), sICAM-1 (ng/ml) and sVCAM-1 (ng/ml) were measured in the serum samples of both groups. Serum concentrations of all three molecules sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and CRP were significantly higher in the dementia group when compared to controls (656.78 +/- 161.51 versus 467.05 +/- 231.26, p < 0.01; 631.64 +/- 149.76 versus 449.04 +/- 285.27, p < 0.01; 1.53 +/- 0.97 versus 0.7221 +/- 0.61, p < 0.01, respectively). Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between the three molecules studied and the degree of severity of cognitive impairment. The findings of this study enhance the hypothesis of the presence of an underlying inflammatory process leading to cognitive deterioration and predisposing dementia in the elderly. The present work supports the evaluation of inflammatory molecules as early indicators of cognitive decline in elderly individuals.