Abnormal phospholipid metabolism in schizophrenia: Evidence from epidemiological findings, clinical observations, and preliminary clinical trials

Both epidemiological findings and clinical observations and have shaped our thinking as regards to the neuropathology of schizophrenia. Epidemiologica l findings implicating environmental risk factors, including maternal dieta ry deficiency and urban birth place, suggest schizophrenia is a development al disorder, whereas clinical observations gave rise to the "dopamine hypot hesis." Epidemiological findings lead to complex multifactorial models, whi le clinical observations lead to more readily to testable, but not necessar ily generalizable, hypotheses. Points where findings from these different a pproaches converge may provide us with new insights and points of departure . In this paper, clinical observations and epidemiological findings are pre sented which suggests that a subgroup of schizophrenics have abnormalities in phospholipid metabolism. Preliminary clinical trials involving administr ation of omega-3 fatty acids thus far appear to support this hypothesis.