Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Publication Date

7-1-2024

Journal

Schizophrenia Research

DOI

10.1016/j.schres.2024.04.027

PMID

38733800

PMCID

PMC11180558

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

7-1-2025

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Author MSS

Abstract

N-acetylasparate and lactate are two prominent brain metabolites closely related to mitochondrial functioning. Prior research revealing lower levels of NAA and higher levels of lactate in the cerebral cortex of patients with schizophrenia suggest possible abnormalities in the energy supply pathway necessary for brain function. Given that stress and adversity are a strong risk factor for a variety of mental health problems, including psychotic disorders, we investigated the hypothesis that stress contributes to abnormal neuroenergetics in patients with schizophrenia. To test this hypothesis, we used the Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN) to comprehensively assess the lifetime stressor exposure profiles of 35 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 33 healthy controls who were also assessed with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at the anterior cingulate cortex using 3 Tesla scanner. Consistent with the hypothesis, greater lifetime stressor exposure was significantly associated with lower levels of N-acetylasparate (β = -0.36, p = .005) and higher levels of lactate (β = 0.43, p = .001). Moreover, these results were driven by patients, as these associations were significant for the patient but not control group. Though preliminary, these findings suggest a possible role for stress processes in the pathophysiology of abnormal neuroenergetics in schizophrenia.

Keywords

Humans, Male, Schizophrenia, Female, Adult, Stress, Psychological, Lactic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Middle Aged, Young Adult, Psychotic Disorders, Gyrus Cinguli, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, childhood trauma, lactate, N-acetylaspartate, mitochondria, glycemic control, anterior cingulate cortex

Published Open-Access

yes

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