Author:
Frota Ilgner Justa,de Oliveira Alissandra Lima Barbosa,De Lima David Nunes,Costa Filho Carlos Winston Luz,Menezes Carlos Eduardo de Souza,Soares Michelle Verde Ramo,Chaves Filho Adriano José Maia,Lós Deniele Bezerra,Moreira Roberta Tavares de Araújo,Viana Glautemberg de Almeida,Campos Eugênio de Moura,Vasconcelos Silvânia Maria Mendes,Seeman Mary V.,Macêdo Danielle S.,Sanders Lia Lira Olivier
Abstract
Abstract
Background
We explored the relationship between symptoms, cognitive performance, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (three markers of inflammation), and antipsychotic dose (in chlorpromazine units) in male and female patients with schizophrenia.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional analysis in patients with schizophrenia of the complete blood count and the results of neuropsychological testing, using the Welch t-test to compare groups and the Pearson test for correlations.
Results
We found that the NLR and the PLR are higher among women with schizophrenia when compared with men. In women, the NLR and the PLR correlate positively with antipsychotic drug dose and inversely with a working memory test (Direct Digit Span). Higher doses of antipsychotics are associated with worse working and semantic memory and mental flexibility in the women in our sample.
Conclusion
Higher doses of antipsychotics were associated with worse working and semantic memory and mental flexibility in women with schizophrenia. No such correlations were present in men, suggesting that, in female patients, cognitive performance deteriorates as the antipsychotic dose is increased, a finding that could be mediated by inflammatory mechanisms, given the demonstrated relationship to biomarkers of inflammation – e.g., the NLR and the PLR.
Trial registration
NCT03788759 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
Funder
Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Fundação Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health