A longitudinal study on the impact of antipsychotic treatment on serum leptin in schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
The study objective was to explore the biological basis for link between antipsychotic-induced weight gain and therapeutic response in schizophrenia by examining longitudinal changes in serum leptin level after antipsychotic treatment.


METHODS
We examined serum leptin in schizophrenia patients at antipsychotic-naive baseline status as well as after 3 months of antipsychotic treatment. For baseline analyses, the patients were compared with healthy controls matched for anthropometric measures and physical activity.


RESULTS
At baseline, schizophrenia patients had significantly lower levels of leptin in comparison with controls. After treatment, body mass index and levels of leptin increased significantly in patients. The magnitude of increase in leptin had a significant positive correlation with magnitude of increase in body mass index; the magnitude of reduction in SANS total score showed significant positive correlation with the magnitude of increase in leptin level.


CONCLUSIONS
The study findings suggest a potential role for leptin to mediate the link between antipsychotic-induced weight gain and beneficial therapeutic response in schizophrenia.
Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore, India. venkat.nimhans@yahoo.com
Ganesan
G
Venkatasubramanian
Seetharamaiah
S
Chittiprol
Narendran
N
Neelakantachar
Taranath K
TK
Shetty
Bangalore N
BN
Gangadhar
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D009043:Motor Activity; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D020738:Leptin