title: Cu, Zn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase levels in brains of patients with schizophrenic psychosis.
abstract: Impaired oxidative stress defense has been reported in blood of both drug-naïve and antipsychotic-treated patients suffering from schizophrenic psychosis, indicating the involvement of free radical metabolism in the pathogenetic processes of schizophrenia. In this study, the concentrations of two isoenzymes of superoxide dismutase (SOD), Cu, Zn- and MnSOD, were determined with ELISA in various cortical (frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital cortex) and subcortical areas (putamen, caudate nucleus, thalamus, and substantia innominata) of post-mortem brain tissue from patients diagnosed with a schizophrenia spectrum disorder and compared with those of controls. Post-mortem brain tissue from individuals without neuropsychiatric disorders served for control. Cu, Zn- and MnSOD levels were significantly increased in frontal cortex and substantia innominata of the index group, respectively. In all other areas both types of SOD remained virtually unchanged. Detection of SOD changes in the brain supports previous reports of alterations of antioxidant indices in blood cells of patients with schizophrenia and suggests a specific neuroanatomical distribution pattern of oxidative stress processes possibly related to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Neurochemistry (National Parkinson Foundation Center of Excellence Research Laboratory), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Michel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thome
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zwerina
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tatschner
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Weijers
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Koutsilieri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013377:Substantia Innominata / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D007527:Isoenzymes; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase