Changes in symptom severity and biochemical markers of brain injury in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia

Abstract

One of the major problems of the methodology of translational research is to find biomarkers that serve as indicators of treatment response. The aim was to study the dynamics of biochemical markers in the process of combined antipsychotics and electroconvulsive therapy. Material and methods Present study was conducted in 34 patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (31.6±9.4 years old) that underwent combined ECT (10 ECTs on average) and pharmacological treatment. The assessment included PANSS and determination of NSE and S100B protein concentrations using automated immunochemical analyzer Elecsys 2010. Blood samples were obtained before the beginning of ECT, 24 hours after the third and sixth ECTs. Results Average reduction of PANSS score was 29,1%, >20% for 85% of patients. There were no significant differences in NSE and S100B concentrations at different stages of treatment. This result is consistent with data on the safety of ECT from the point of view of the integrity of cells. There were found statistically significant differences between S100B concentration in women and men (60±18 and 43±23 ng/L, respectively, P =0.029) and a trend of increase in S100 levels with the increase of disease duration ( r =0.372, P =0.062). Serum S100B concentrations at baseline negatively correlated with positive and negative symptoms severity and with PANSS composite score. No correlation between treatment efficiency and biochemical markers' levels was found. Conclusion Combined antipsychotic and electroconvulsive therapy was effective for treatment-resistant schizophrenic patients and did not induce nerve cells damage. Initial symptom severity was correlated with S100B levels.