Association between serum folate levels and schizophrenia based on sex.

Aim: Sex differences in serum folate concentrations are well known, but no studies have investigated the association between serum folate levels and schizophrenia based on sex. With this study in a Japanese population, we examined the difference in serum folate levels between patients with schizophrenia and non-psychiatric controls stratified by sex. The relations among serum folate levels, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), and serum vitamin B6 (pyridoxal) levels were also examined using data from our previous studies.

Predictors of life skills in people with schizophrenia.

Objective : The purpose of the present study is to examine clinical factors related to life skills in people with schizophrenia. Method : The participants were 51 stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia. Their mean age was 38.

Relationship between social and cognitive functions in people with schizophrenia.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to examine clinical factors related to social function in people with schizophrenia.

Patients And Methods: The participants were 55 stabilized outpatients with schizophrenia. Their mean age was 39.

Decreased serum pyridoxal levels in schizophrenia: meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Alterations in one-carbon metabolism have been associated with schizophrenia, and vitamin B6 is one of the key components in this pathway.

Methods: We first conducted a case-control study of serum pyridoxal levels and schizophrenia in a large Japanese cohort ( = 1276). Subsequently, we conducted a meta-analysis of association studies ( = 2125).

Elevated peripheral blood glutamate levels in major depressive disorder.

Purpose: There is growing evidence that glutamatergic signaling may be involved in major depressive disorder (MDD). In regard to peripheral blood glutamate changes in MDD, inconsistent findings have been reported. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether blood glutamate levels differed between MDD patients and control participants.

Decreased serum pyridoxal levels in schizophrenia: meta-analysis and Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background: Alterations in one-carbon metabolism have been associated with schizophrenia, and vitamin B6 is one of the key components in this pathway.

Methods: We first conducted a case-control study of serum pyridoxal levels and schizophrenia in a large Japanese cohort ( = 1276). Subsequently, we conducted a meta-analysis of association studies ( = 2125).

Altered KYN/TRP, Gln/Glu, and Met/methionine sulfoxide ratios in the blood plasma of medication-free patients with major depressive disorder.

Capillary electrophoresis-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOFMS) is a comprehensive, quantitative, and high throughput tool used to analyze metabolite profiles. In the present study, we used CE-TOFMS to profile metabolites found in the blood plasma of 33 medication-free patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 33 non-psychiatric control subjects. We then investigated changes which occurred in the metabolite levels during an 8-week treatment period.

Gene expression-based biological test for major depressive disorder: an advanced study.

Purpose: Recently, we could distinguished patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) from nonpsychiatric controls with high accuracy using a panel of five gene expression markers (, and ) in leukocyte. In the present study, we examined whether this biological test is able to discriminate patients with MDD from those without MDD, including those with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Patients And Methods: We measured messenger ribonucleic acid expression levels of the aforementioned five genes in peripheral leukocytes in 17 patients with schizophrenia and 36 patients with bipolar disorder using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and we combined these expression data with our previous expression data of 25 patients with MDD and 25 controls.

Cumulative effect of the plasma total homocysteine-related genetic variants on schizophrenia risk.

Previous studies suggest that elevated total homocysteine levels and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism, which correlates with plasma total homocysteine levels, are risk factors for schizophrenia (SCZ). Recently, a large genome-wide association study (GWAS) of plasma total homocysteine levels in individuals of European ancestry identified many single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (n=13,974). The primary purpose of this study was to examine the association between these plasma total homocysteine-related SNPs and SCZ in the Japanese population.

1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of glutamate-related abnormality in bipolar disorder.

Background: Previous studies of patients with bipolar disorder (BD) using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) have shown neurophysiological abnormalities related to the glutamate (Glu)-glutamine (Gln) cycle, membrane turnover, and neuronal integrity, although the results were neither consistent nor conclusive. Recently it has been reported the Gln/Glu ratio is the most useful index, quantifying neuronal-glial interactions and the balance of glutamatergic metabolites In this MRS study, we elucidated the abnormalities of metabolites in a larger sample of patients with BD with a high-field MRI system.

Methods: Sixty-two subjects (31 patients with BD and 31 healthy controls [HC]) underwent 3T proton MRS (1H-MRS) of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left basal ganglia (ltBG) using a stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) sequence.

Association study of polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene promoter, methylation profiles, and expression in patients with major depressive disorder.

The serotonin transporter (5HTT) may be associated with the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). The 5HTT-linked polymorphic region (5HTTLPR) genotype may determine how levels of 5HTT mRNA are influenced by promoter methylation. We examined the association of 5HTT gene methylation, which influences gene expression, and the 5HTTLPR genotype before antidepressant treatment and expression before and after treatment.

Risk factors for refeeding hypophosphatemia in Japanese inpatients with anorexia nervosa.

Objective: Refeeding in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with a risk of refeeding syndrome, which is a disruption in metabolism with a variety of features including hypophosphatemia. We evaluated the risk factors for refeeding hypophosphatemia (RH) during nutritional replenishment in Japanese patients with AN.

Methods: We retrospectively examined clinical data for 99 female inpatients (mean age 30.

Polymorphism in the promoter of the gene for the serotonin transporter affects the age of onset of major depressive disorder in the Japanese population.

Objective: Recent research has suggested that a functional polymorphism in the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene (serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region, 5HTTLPR) may be implicated in gene-environment interactions leading to major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: Our study examined the association between 5HTTLPR and clinical variables of MDD in the Japanese population. We genotyped 5HTTLPR in 216 patients with MDD and 213 age- and sex-matched controls.

Biological tests for major depressive disorder that involve leukocyte gene expression assays.

Background: Development of easy-to-use biological diagnostic tests for major depressive disorder (MDD) may facilitate MDD diagnosis and delivery of optimal treatment. Here, we examined leukocyte gene expression to develop a biological diagnostic test for MDD.

Methods: 25 drug-naive MDD patients (MDDs) and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (Controls) participated in a pilot study.

Association Study of Fat-mass and Obesity-associated Gene and Body Mass Index in Japanese Patients with Schizophrenia and Healthy Subjects.

Objective: Fat-mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene is known to be involved in the pathophysiology of obesity and a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs9939609 of FTO gene is repeatedly confirmed to be associated with body mass index (BMI) and obesity. The aim of this study is to elucidate effects of FTO gene polymorphism on BMI in Japanese patients with schizophrenia and healthy subjects.

Methods: Three hundred fifty one patients with schizophrenia and 342 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects participated in the study.

Gene expression and association analysis of the epithelial membrane protein 1 gene in major depressive disorder in the Japanese population.

The epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) plays a role in neuronal differentiation and neurite outgrowth, which are involved in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). We sought to determine whether the EMP1 gene is implicated in MDD. We determined the mRNA expression levels of the EMP1 gene in peripheral-blood leukocytes of patients and control subjects (n=27 each).