AUTHOR=Ouyang Houxian , Huang Minfang , Xu Yongming , Yao Qin , Wu Xiangping , Zhou Dongsheng 

TITLE=Reduced Cell-Free Mitochondrial DNA Levels Were Induced by Antipsychotics Treatment in First-Episode Patients With Schizophrenia

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.652314

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2021.652314

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=Cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA) is a damage-associated molecular pattern that boosts the release of cytokines and induces the body’s immune response; therefore, it is closely related to mental diseases. The aim of this study is to evaluate a potential link between cf-mtDNA and clinical progression in first-episode schizophrenic patients. In this study, plasma cf-mtDNA levels in 34 first-episode schizophrenic patients before and after 8 weeks of antipsychotic treatment were examined. In addition, the clinical progression of first-episode schizophrenia was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The copy-number changes in the plasma cf-mtDNA (Δcf-mtDNA) were significantly correlated with changes in the PANSS scale scores (ΔPANSS) in first-episode schizophrenic patients (ΔPANSS total score, P=0.002; ΔPANSS positive score, P=0.01). Plasma cf-mtDNA may represent a relevant tool in the future to assist in the assessment of clinical progression in first-episode schizophrenic patients.