1.The relationship between aggression and thyroid hormone and cortisol in schizophrenic patients
Kunxi XUE ; Jing WAN ; Yanzhen REN ; Baoguo DU
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2017;26(2):143-148
Objective To explore the relationship between aggressive behavior with thyroid hormone or cortisol and in schizophrenic patients. Methods According to the past violence history and modified overt aggression scale( MOAS) weighted total scores,108 schizophrenic patients were divided into aggressive group ( n=69) and non-aggressive group( n=39) . Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS) total scores, serum thyroid hormone levels and cortisol concentration were compared between the two groups before and af-ter 2,4 weeks treatment. And correlations of PANSS and sub-scales scores,thyroid hormone levels and corti-sol concentration with MOAS weighted total scores and subscales scores were analyzed before these patients receiving treatment. Results Before treatment,total scores of PANSS,positive symptoms and general psy-chopathology scores in aggressive group((94.19±12.71),(23.77±4.94),(52.61±6.45))were higher than that in non-aggressive group ((83.26±11.21),(21.36±7.10),(45.49±6.84)) and these differences were significant(P<0.05). But the difference of PANSS total scores after 2,4 weeks treatment between the two groups was not significant (P>0. 05 ) . Free thyroxine ( FT4 ) level of aggressive group ( ( 14. 41 ± 3. 58 ) pmol/L) was higher than that of non-aggressive group ((12.95±2.66)pmol/L) before treatment and the difference was significant(P<0.05) . Meanwhile,there was no significant differences between the two groups in thyrotropic-stimulating hormone(TSH),free triiodothyronine(FT3),total triiodothyronine(TT3) and total thyroxine( TT4) levels( all P>0.05) . After 2 or 4 weeks treatment,the differences between the two groups in TSH,FT3,FT4,TT3,TT4 levels were not significant(P>0.05). The differences between the two groups of cortisol concentration were not significant before and after 2,4 weeks treatment(P>0.05) . MOAS weighted to-tal scores were positively correlated with PANSS total scores,negative symptoms scores,general psychopathol-ogy scores and level of FT4,and their r values were 0.471,0.204,0.531,0.239(all P<0.05). Verbal aggres-sion was positively correlated with PANSS total scores,positive symptoms scores and general psychopathology scores,and their r values were 0.213,0.215,0.292(P<0.05). Auto-aggression was positively correlated with PANSS total scores and general psychopathology scores,and their r values were 0.278,0.382(P<0.05) . Psy-chical aggression was positively correlated with PANSS total scores,negative symptoms scores,general psy-chopathology scores and level of FT4,and their r values were 0.361,0.193,0.338,0.276(P<0.05). Conclusion The total scores of PANSS,positive symptoms,general psychopathology scores,level of FT4 and their variances can reflect severity of aggression and predict aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients. Concen-tration of cortisol is not associated with aggressive behavior and can not be used as a predictor of aggressive behavior in schizophrenic patients.
2.Study on serum level of HTR1A promoter methylation in manic episode of bipolar disorder type Ⅰ
Qifeng DU ; Cunyou ZHAO ; Yan YU ; Baoguo DU ; Daiwei ZHANG ; Yanzhen REN ; Shufen LI ; Ting-Yun JIANG ; Yihua CHEN
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2019;28(5):412-415
Objective To explore the correlation between the methylation level of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 1A(HTR1A) gene promoter region and severity of symptom in the manic epi-sode patients with bipolar disorder type Ⅰ(BD-Ⅰ). Methods Fifty six manic episode patients with BD-Ⅰand fifty nine healthy controls were randomly included in the study. The level of HTR1A gene promoter meth-ylation was measured with pyrosequencing technique in both manic episode patients with BD-Ⅰ and the healthy controls. The severity of symptoms was assessed with score of Bech-Rafaelsen Mania Rating Scale (BRMS) in patients with BD-Ⅰ. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to explore the correlation be-tween the serum level of HTR1A promoter methylation and score of BRMS in BD-Ⅰgroup. Results In-creased serum level of HTR1A gene promoter methylation was found in manic episode patients with BD-Ⅰ((66. 55±10. 55)%) compared with that in healthy controls((54. 03±8. 85)%)(P<0. 01). Positive corre-lation was found between the serum level of HTR1A gene promoter methylation and total score of BRMS in manic patient with BD-Ⅰ(r=0. 534,P<0. 01). Conclusion The current findings suggest that the serum level of HTR1A gene promoter methylation can be an epigenetic indicator for severity of manic symptom in BD-Ⅰ.