Homozygosity in the APOE 3 Polymorphism Is Associated With Less Depression and Higher Serum Low-Density Lipoprotein in Chinese Elderly Schizophrenics.

Wei Li,Chunxia Ban,Lin Sun,Shifu Xiao,Ling Yue,Xia Li

doi:10.3389/fendo.2020.00642

Abstract

Background: Depressive symptoms are common comorbidities in schizophrenia. However, the effect of APOE E3 on depressive symptoms has never been investigated in an aging Chinese population with schizophrenia. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the effects of APOE E3 on blood lipid metabolism and depressive symptoms in elderly schizophrenics in China.Methods: Three Hundred and one elderly schizophrenics (161 males, age ranges from 60 to 92 years, with an average age of 67.31 ± 6.667) were included in the study. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). APOE gene polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We assessed the correlations of GDS and serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) with APOE genotypes.Results: The concentration of LDL in the Homozygous APOE E3 group was significantly higher than that in the non-homozygous APOE E3 group, while the scores of GDS of the Homozygous APOE E3 group were lower than that in the non-homozygous APOE E3 group. Using partial correlation analysis and controlling age, gender, duration of disease, and hyperlipidemia, we found that the scores of GDS were significantly correlated with LDL (r = −0.194, p = 0.016).Conclusions: APOE E3 is associated with less depressive symptoms and higher serum LDL in Chinese elderly patients with schizophrenia, and there is a negative correlation between depressive symptoms and LDL.

Highlights

Schizophrenia is associated with an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms
By using a single sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, we found that BMI (p > 0.05) was in the normal distribution, while age, education, duration of disease, fasting blood sugar, triglyceride, high- density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and scores of Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) (p < 0.05) were in non-normal distribution
By using partial correlation analysis and controlling age, gender, duration of disease, and hyperlipidemia, we found that the scores of GDS were significantly correlated with low-density lipoprotein (r = −0.194, p = 0.016)

Summary

Introduction

Schizophrenia is associated with an increased prevalence of depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms are commonly seen in all stages of schizophrenia, in the acute phase [3]. They have been found to correlate with positive symptoms, negative symptoms, APOE E3 and Depression and general psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia [4]. The accumulated evidence from previous studies suggests that the presence of depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia has been associated with worse overall outcomes, greater comorbidity, work impairment, poorer quality of life, deterioration of psychosocial functioning, greater risk of relapse, and increased risk of suicide [5, 6]. The effect of APOE E3 on depressive symptoms has never been investigated in an aging Chinese population with schizophrenia. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the effects of APOE E3 on blood lipid metabolism and depressive symptoms in elderly schizophrenics in China

Methods

Results

Conclusion