Dr. Adams
10-02-2009, 02:13 PM
"Schizophrenia patients have a defect in antioxidant defense that may leave highly vulnerable brain cells open to attack by reactive oxygen species.
There is a defect in the antioxidant defense system in schizophrenia. Known oxidative stress that causes oxidative cell damage and thus contributes to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia may be mainly related to this defensive defect.
The analysis showed that patients with schizophrenia and control participants had similar levels of oxidants, but patients with schizophrenia had lower levels of antioxidants — and thus higher oxidative stress — than control participants.
Furthermore, lower levels of antioxidants were associated with higher psychopathology scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale; higher oxidative stress index scores were also associated with worse symptom scores on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale.
In general, it may be stated that inadequacy of the antioxidant defense system in schizophrenia seems to be a trait feature rather than a status feature. CNS cells are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of free radicals than other organs in the body...there is some evidence that in antioxidant supplementation may be beneficial effect in combination with basic antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia patients."
Neuropsychobiology. September 21, 2009.
There is a defect in the antioxidant defense system in schizophrenia. Known oxidative stress that causes oxidative cell damage and thus contributes to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia may be mainly related to this defensive defect.
The analysis showed that patients with schizophrenia and control participants had similar levels of oxidants, but patients with schizophrenia had lower levels of antioxidants — and thus higher oxidative stress — than control participants.
Furthermore, lower levels of antioxidants were associated with higher psychopathology scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale; higher oxidative stress index scores were also associated with worse symptom scores on the Clinical Global Impression-Severity scale.
In general, it may be stated that inadequacy of the antioxidant defense system in schizophrenia seems to be a trait feature rather than a status feature. CNS cells are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of free radicals than other organs in the body...there is some evidence that in antioxidant supplementation may be beneficial effect in combination with basic antipsychotic treatment in schizophrenia patients."
Neuropsychobiology. September 21, 2009.