Specificity proteins 1 and 4, hippocampal volume and first-episode psychosis.

We assessed specificity protein 1 (SP1) and 4 (SP4) transcription factor levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and conducted a voxel-based morphometry analysis on brain structural magnetic resonance images from 11 patients with first-episode psychosis and 14 healthy controls. We found lower SP1 and SP4 levels in patients, which correlated positively with right hippocampal volume. These results extend previous evidence showing that such transcription factors may constitute a molecular pathway to the development of psychosis.

Phosphorylation of transcription factor specificity protein 4 is increased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of first-episode psychosis.

Background: Altered expression of transcription factor specificity protein 4 (SP4) has been found in the postmortem brain of patients with psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Reduced levels of SP4 protein have recently been reported in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in first-episode psychosis. Also, SP4 levels are modulated by lithium treatment in cultured neurons.

Reduced expression of SP1 and SP4 transcription factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in first-episode psychosis.

Alterations of transcription factor specificity protein 4 (SP4) and 1 (SP1) have been linked to different neuropsychiatric diseases. Reduced SP4 and SP1 protein levels in the prefrontal cortex have been associated with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, respectively, suggesting that both factors could be involved in the pathogenesis of disorders with psychotic features. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the reduction of SP1, SP4 and SP3 protein and mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the early stages of psychosis may act as a potential biomarker of these disorders.

Functional similarity of facial emotion processing between people with a first episode of psychosis and healthy subjects.

Background: Neurofunctional and behavioral abnormalities in facial emotion processing (FEmoP) have been consistently found in schizophrenia patients, but studies assessing brain functioning in early phases are scarce and the variety of experimental paradigms in current literature make comparisons difficult. The present work focuses on assessing FEmoP in people experiencing a psychotic episode for the first time with different experimental paradigm approaches.

Methods: Twenty-two patients with a first psychotic episode (FPe) (13 males) took part in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study (1.