DNA damage and oxidative stress in patients with schizophrenia: a comparative study

Objective: To investigate whether has effect of DNA damage in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia or not, by using Comet assay method (procedure) and to reveal the possible relationship between DNA damage and oxidative stress.

Methods: 31 patients with schizophrenia, who were admitted to an outpatient or inpatient treatment in the Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Medicine, Psychiatry Clinic and 36 healthy patients were included in this study. In the Afyon Kocatepe University Molecular Biology Department Laboratory, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status (TOS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) measurements were performed by ready-kit method and DNA damage analysis was performed by Comet Assay method.

Results: DNA damage, TOS and OSI scores were found a higher in patients with schizophrenia than the control group. There was no statistically significant difference in TAC score between patient and control groups. There was a positive correlation between the total PANSS score and DNA damage score. There was positive correlation between DNA damage score and TOS score or OSI score.

Conclusions: Our study supports previous studies that oxidative stress and DNA damage was involved in pathogenesis of schizophrenia. DNA damage is associated with disease severity and oxidative stress may play important role in the formation of DNA damage.