The Correlation between Iron Level and Schizophrenia

Abstract

Schizophrenia is a complex psychiatric condition that, if not adequately treated, can affect functional limitations. The exact etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia remains unknown. Research suggests an interaction between many factors, including genetic susceptibility, environment and psychological processes. Specific authors describe the association of a valuable mineral in the human body, iron, with pathophysiological mechanisms and related etiological factors in the development of the severe mental illness of schizophrenia.Iron has important roles in the human body and affects various physiological processes. Some studies have shown a connection between the dysregulation of iron levels and the development of different mental disorders, including schizophrenia. Abnormal levels of iron in a specific region of the brain have been observed in people with schizophrenia. Iron levels may contribute to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in combination with other genetic, environmental and dietary factors. Iron can also contribute to the better cognitive functioning of a patient with schizophrenia, and due to frequent malnutrition and undernourishment in this group of patients, it is crucial to take into account the need for routine hematological examinations and the determination of essential nutritional deficiencies.Finally, our goals were to systematically review the literature published in the last two decades using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. We described the clinical aspects and etiological factors of schizophrenia. We determined whether schizophrenia can be associated with iron concentration disorders to recognize and identify potential patients with iron deficiency and treat them promptly in daily clinical practice.