IMPAIRED ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE AT THE ONSET OF PSYCHOSIS

Previous studies found peripheral activities of antioxidant enzymes to be abnormal in schizophrenic patients. It is not understood whether t his is integral to the disease process or a result of long-term treatm ent with neuroleptics. Red blood cell activities of three antioxidant enzymes - superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase w ere therefore examined in 14 drug-naive, first episode patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizophreniform disorder and 10 normal subjects. The patients had an average duration of psychosis of 4.46 d ays (SD 2.5). Superoxide dismutase activity was significantly lower in patients than in normal controls, with no difference between the grou ps in activities of the other two enzymes. Lower superoxide dismutase activity was associated with deterioration of school functioning from childhood to early adolescence and a history of poorer school function ing during early adolescence. These findings indicate a compromised an tioxidant defense at the onset of psychosis, and suggest that oxidativ e injury might contribute to adverse developmental events in the patho genic cascade of schizophrenia.