Correlation study of plasma homocysteine with PANSS and BPRS of newly detected schizophrenic patients

The underlying etiopathogenesis of long-term psychiatric disorder schizophrenia is not clear. Hyperhomocystenemia is known to play important role in ethiopathogenesis and development of many cognitive disorder including schizophrenia. The present study was undertaken to find out the association between plasma homocysteine with Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) of newly detected schizophrenic patients. PANSS and BPRS are commonly used symptoms rating scale of schizophrenia. Assessment of plasma homocysteine, PANSS and BPRS were done in 30 schizophrenic patients and compared with 50 gender and age matched healthy individuals. The plasma homocysteine, BPRS score and PANSS score of schizophrenic patients were 15.48±2.71 μmol/L, 84.2±1.72, 149.01±1.72 respectively, which were significantly high in comparison to controls. This raised value of homocysteine is also positively and significantly correlated with BPRS and PANSS of study population. This study suggests the role of high homocysteine level in development and progression of schizophrenia.