Erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities, and malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione levels in schizophrenic patients

There is abundant evidence that free radicals are involved in membrane path ology in the central nervous system and that they may play a role in neurop sychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. In this study, we investigat ed erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities a s antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehydes as a sign of lipid peroxidation, an d reduced glutathione levels in schizophrenic patients. Activities of super oxide dismutase and levels of malondialdehyde in erythrocytes were greater in all patients (n=48) and in patients with acute (n=16) and chronic schizo phrenia (n=32) (p<0.001 for all patients and chronic patient group; p<0.05 for acute patient group). The activities of glutathione peroxidase were low er in patients (p<0.05 for all patients and acute patient group; p=0.051 fo r chronic patient group) compared with the control group. Mean erythrocyte reduced glutathione was lower in patients than in controls (p<0.05). In the patient group, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity was positively co rrelated with scales and duration of disease and erythrocyte malondialdehyd e concentration. These data reveal that antioxidative defense mechanisms mi ght be impaired in schizophrenic patients.