An Open Study of Sulforaphane-rich Broccoli Sprout Extract in Patients with Schizophrenia.
OBJECTIVE
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by severe cognitive impairment. Accumulating evidence suggests a role for oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Sulforaphane (SFN) extracted from broccoli sprout is an agent with potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. In this study, we attempted to evaluate the effect of SFN on cognitive impairment in medicated patients with schizophrenia.


METHODS
We recruited a total of 10 outpatients with schizophrenia, all of whom gave informed consent. Participants took 3 tablets of SFN, consisting of 30 mg of SFN-glucosinolate per day, for 8 weeks. Clinical symptoms using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and cognitive function using the Japanese version of CogState battery were evaluated at the beginning of the study and at week 8.


RESULTS
A total of 7 patients completed the trial. The mean score in the Accuracy component of the One Card Learning Task increased significantly after the trial. However, we detected no other significant changes in participants.


CONCLUSIONS
This result suggests that SFN has the potential to improve cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia.
Department of Child Psychiatry, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.|Division of Law and Psychiatry, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan.
Akihiro
A
Shiina
Division of Medical Treatment and Rehabilitation, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan.
Nobuhisa
N
Kanahara
Department of Child Psychiatry, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
Tsuyoshi
T
Sasaki
Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Yasunori
Y
Oda
Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Tasuku
T
Hashimoto
Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.
Tadashi
T
Hasegawa
Kisarazu Hospital, Japan.
Taisuke
T
Yoshida
Department of Child Psychiatry, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.|Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.|Department of Psychiatry, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan.|Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, 8Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, Chiba, Japan.
Masaomi
M
Iyo
Kenji
K
Hashimoto
Clinical trial; CogState; Executive function; Schizophrenia; Sulforafan