ELEVATED PLASMA-LIPID PEROXIDES AT THE ONSET OF NONAFFECTIVE PSYCHOSIS

Background: Impaired antioxidant defense and increased lipid peroxidat ion has been reported in chronic schizophrenic patients, Recently, we have reported an impaired antioxidant defense in never medicated first -episode schizophrenic and schizophreniform patients. We report now a concomitant increase in plasma lipid peroxides, Methods: The plasma li pid peroxides [thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)] were a nalyzed by chemical and high performance liquid chromatography procedu res in 26 patients admitted for a first episode of schizophrenic (N = 17) or schizophreniform psychosis (N = 9) and 16 normal control subjec ts. The patients had a duration of 4.5 days (SD 2.8) of psychosis at t he time of the study, Results: Plasma TBARS levels were significantly higher in the patients than in normal controls (P < .002), TBARS level s were above the normal range in 16 of the 26 patients. Higher TBARS l evels were associated with a greater severity of negative symptoms and lower red blood cell activity of the glutathione peroxidase, Conclusi ons: The findings indicate ongoing oxidative injury at the very onset of psychosis. If valid, this would indicate the need for adjunctive an tioxidant treatment from the beginning of the course of nonaffective p sychoses. This might prevent a deteriorating course and development of the deficit syndrome. (C) 1998 Society of Biological Psychiatry.