Izvorni znanstveni članak

https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2023.523

SOCIAL COGNITION AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA PATIENTS AND FIRST-DEGREE RELATIVES OF PATIENTS

Selma Çilem Kızılpınar ; Department of Psychiatry, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Makbule Çiğdem Aydemır ; Department of Psychiatry, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Özlem Doğan ; Department of Biochemistry, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey,
Fatma Bahar Atak-Akkus ; Department of Psychiatry, Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey
Zeynel Baran ; Department of Psychology, Hacettepe University, Faculty of Letters Ankara, Turkey

Sažetak

Background: Endophenotypes are biological and behavioral markers that indicate a genetic predisposition to complex neuropsychiatric
disorders such as schizophrenia. We aimed to explore whether some neuropsychiatric and biochemical measurements can
be identified as an endophenotype and investigate the possible confounding effects of working memory, and general intellectual skills
on social cognition.
Subject and Methods: Patients with remitted schizophrenia (PG) (n=26), first-degree relatives of schizophrenic patients (RG)
(n=25), and healthy controls (HCG) (n=36) were compared in terms of oxidative stress parameters -serum Superoxide Dismutase,
Catalase, Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx), Nitrite, Nitrate, Malondialdehyde, and Total Glutathione levels-, social cognition measured
by the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test and working memory measured by the N-back Task. Groups were compared, assuming that
HCG had a genetically lower risk of schizophrenia compared to PG and RG.
Results: HCG performed significantly better than PG and RG, who were genetically at high risk, in terms of social cognition (respectively
p=0.000, p=0.014), working memory (respectively p=0.001, p=0.003), and had statistically lower Glutathione Peroxidase
(GPX) level than the PG and RG (both p:0.000). After controlling for the effect of the general intellectual abilities measured by the Raven
Standard Progressive Matrices Test and working memory the differences between groups on the Eyes Test disappeared (p=0.057).
However, this value tended to be significant.
Conclusions: It was concluded that social cognition and working memory and GPx level may be used as endophenotypes and
social cognition, working memory, and general intellectual skills are different but strongly related constructs. Endophenotypes guide
treatment targets even after the disease has developed. The results of our study showed that in addition to psychopharmacological
treatments, interventions to reduce oxidative stress and approaches to improve cognitive skills will have a positive impact on the disease’s
progression.

Ključne riječi

schizophrenia; social cognition; endophenotype; oxidative stress; neurocognition

Hrčak ID:

311478

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/311478

Datum izdavanja:

9.11.2023.

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