Niacin skin flush and membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids in schizophrenia from the acute state to partial remission: a dynamic relationship
Journal
Schizophrenia (Heidelberg, Germany)
Journal Volume
8
Journal Volume
8
Journal Issue
1
Journal Issue
1
Start Page
38
ISSN
2754-6993
Date Issued
2022-04-20
Author(s)
YA-HUI YU
SHENG-HSIANG LIN
PO-CHANG HSIAO
CHIAN-JUE KUO
Abstract
Despite the consistent finding of an attenuated niacin-induced flush response in schizophrenia, its long-term stability and relationship to the membrane polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels remain unknown. We conducted niacin skin tests and measured the membrane PUFAs using gas chromatography among 46 schizophrenia inpatients and 37 healthy controls at the baseline and the 2-month follow-up. Attenuated flush responses were persistently observed in schizophrenia patients in both acute and partial remission states, whereas an increased flush response was found in the controls. A persistent decrease in both dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid and docosahexaenoic acid and an increased turnover of arachidonic acid (ARA) via endogenous biosynthesis were found in schizophrenia patients. A composite niacin flush score by combining those with a control-to-case ratio of >1.4 (i.e., scores at 5 min of 0.1 M, 0.01 M, and 0.001 M + 10 min of 0.01 M and 0.001 M + 15 min of 0.001 M) at the baseline was correlated positively with ARA levels among controls but not among schizophrenia patients, whereas the flush score at the 2-month follow-up was correlated positively with ARA levels among patients. The 2-month persistence of attenuated niacin-induced flush response in schizophrenia patients implies that the niacin skin test might tap a long-term vulnerability to schizophrenia beyond acute exacerbation.
Subjects
CALCIUM-INDEPENDENT PHOSPHOLIPASE-A2; CYTOSOLIC PLA2 GENES; ARACHIDONIC-ACID; PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS; ABSENT RESPONSE; ENDOPHENOTYPE; RISK; POLYMORPHISMS; SENSITIVITY; NICOTINE
SDGs
Publisher
NATURE PORTFOLIO
Type
journal article