Altered Erythrocyte Deformability and Antioxidant Status in Patients with Schizophrenia

Objective: Schizophrenia is a major mental disorder whose etiology still remains unkown. There is evidence that free radicals are involved in membrane pathology in the central nervous system and may play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Red blood cells are also considered to be a peripheral marker in psychiatric illnesses. We aimed to provide further insight into the effects of changed antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation on the rheological behavior of red blood cells in schizophrenia.Patients and Methods: Twenty patients with schizophrenia and 20 healthy subjects were included in the study. Antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation were measured spectrophotometrically and red blood cell deformability was measured by shear stress diffractometer.Results: Deformability of red blood cells was found to be decreased, lipid peroxidation was increased and antioxidant status was altered in the patients (p<0.05).Conclusion: It is understood that erythrocyte deformability was impaired and antioxidant status was altered in patients with schizophrenia. (Marmara Medical Journal 2012;25:133-7)