title: Elevated levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) in drug-naïve patients with psychosis.
abstract: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) plays an important role in neurogenesis and synaptogenesis and may be implicated in schizophrenia, although data so far have been inconclusive. The aim of our study was to compare levels of IGF-1 in drug-naïve patients with a first episode of schizophrenia and related disorders with matched healthy controls. Forty drug naïve first-episode patients with schizophrenia and related disorders and forty healthy subjects matched for age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and smoking status were enrolled in the study. Serum levels of IGF-1 for each sample were measured in duplicate by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method using human IGF-1. The median IGF-1 levels were significantly higher in drug-naive patients with psychosis compared to healthy controls (109.66ng/ml vs. 86.96ng/ml, respectively p=0.039). Multiple regression analysis revealed that differences in serum IGF-1 values were independent of glucose metabolism (fasting glucose, fasting insulin, insulin resistance) and cortisol. These results show that IGF-1 may be implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis but confirmation is needed from other studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece. Electronic address: ppetrikis@hotmail.gr.
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Petrikis
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Boumba
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Engineering, School of Applied Technology, Technological Educational Institute of Epirus, Arta, Greece.
authors.forename: Alexandros T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Tzallas
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Paraskevi V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Voulgari
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Clinic, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitra T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Archimandriti
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Petros
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Skapinakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Venetsanos
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mavreas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
keywords: Drug-naïve patients; First-episode; IGF-1; Psychosis