Disturbances of phospholipidmetabolism - Possible pathogenic factors in schizophrenia. Survey and discussion of current findings

During the last few years analyses of the lipidmetabolism have been perform ed on schizophrenic patients. Anabolic and katabolic metabolite-concentrati ons from blood and cell samples have been measured. By means of new investi gation techniques, such as P-31-magnetic-resonance-spectroscopy, it is nowa days even possible to determine membrane metabolites non-invasively in vivo . Arachidonic acid deficits in peripheral cell membranes, turnover of phosp hodiesters in the brain, increased phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2))-activity in serum and blood cells, disturbed niacin-response and abnormalities of the P LA(2)-gene are summarised as phospholipid-membrane-hypothesis of schizophre nia. Although there is some evidence for correlations between those finding s and symptoms, the connection to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia still h as speculative character. Furthermore it has to be confirmed that periphera l biochemical findings acquired in schizophrenics are transferable to the m etabolism of the central nervous system. Actual results of enzyme and metab olite measurements reported in literature and current findings of our own P -31-MR-spectroscopic studies are surveyed and summarised. To point out poss ible connections between the phospholipid-metabolism of the central nervous system and of peripheral blood-cells, systemic approaches are considered.