A prospective study investigating implications of bioactive lipids for diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia

本研究将探讨脂肪酸（脂质）在精神分裂症中的作用。对精神分裂症患者的血细胞和大脑的研究表明，这些脂质和相关产物在精神分裂症中发生了改变。我们现在能够使用一种称为磁共振光谱的技术来测量活体人脑中单独的脂质代谢物。直到最近，才有可能将脂质代谢物作为一个组进行评估，限制了解释。由于脑成像研究所新推出的成像系统和新的分析技术，我们将能够测量活体人脑中的单一脂质代谢物。同时，我们还将测量红细胞中负责调节这些脂质的脂质和相关酶。初步数据显示，这两项指标之间存在很强的相关性。此外，我们将研究负责这些酶的生产的基因。通过在12周后重复同样的测试，我们希望了解新的抗精神病药物的作用。两个简单的临床测试（皮肤和呼吸测试）将帮助我们在日常临床实践中实施这些发现（风险患者的诊断标志物）。通过这种多层次的方法，我们希望有助于对精神分裂症起源的新理解，超越传统概念。这些发现也可能对治疗产生直接影响。初步结果非常有希望，但也相互矛盾。因此，更重要的是要仔细研究这些脂质在精神分裂症中的作用。

This study will investigate the role of fatty acids (lipids) in schizophrenia. Studies in blood cells and in the brains of patients with schizophrenia have shown that these lipids and related products are altered in schizophrenia. We are now able to measure separate lipid metabolites in the living human brain using a technique called magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Until recently it was only possible to assess lipid metabolites as a group, limiting interpretation. Thanks to a newly available imaging system at the Brain Imaging Research Institute and a new analysis technique, we will be able to measure single lipid metabolites in the living human brain. Simultaneously we will also measure lipids and related enzymes in red blood cells that are responsible for the regulation of these lipids. Preliminary data has shown that there is a strong correlation between these two measures. Furthermore we will investigate the genes that are responsible for the production of these enzymes. By repeating the same tests after 12 weeks we hope to understand how the newer antipsychotic drugs act. Two easy clinical tests (a skin and breath test) will help us to implement the findings in daily clinical practice (diagnostic markers for patients at risk) . With such a multi-level approach we hope to contribute to a new understanding of the origins of schizophrenia going beyond the traditional concepts. The findings might also have direct implications for treatment. Preliminary results are very promising but also contradictory. Therefore it is even more important to carefully investigate the role of these lipids in schizophrenia.