Serum Growth Arrest Specific Protein 6 (Gas-6) Levels in Patients with Schizophrenia

Abstract

Objective: We have investigated serum growth arrest-specific protein 6 (GAS-6) levels from patients with schizophrenia divided into acute phase remission phases as well as control group. Methods: This study was conducted in Psychiatry Department of Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty. The patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia after regular psychiatric examination according to DSM-IV criteria (n=22) as well as control subjects were included in the study. Schizophrenia patients with acute phase and remission phase were evaluated by Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Clinical global Impression Scale (CGI-S). The serum GAS-6 levels of schizophrenia patients during acute phase and remission phase were compared with the serum GAS-6 levels of healthy controls. Serum GAS-6 levels were measured by commercial ELISA kits. Results: No difference was found in serum GAS-6 levels among the three groups; schizophrenia with acute phase, schizophrenia with remission phase, and controls. There were no correlations between serum GAS-6 levels and PANSS and CGI scores. Conclusion: To reach a definitive data and better interpretation about the relationship between GAS-6 and schizophrenia, future studies with larger groups of patients with schizophrenia subdivided by drug naive and treated with antipsychotics/other treatment modalities and controls are needed. Key words: GAS-6, schizophrenia, acute phase, remission