@article{3117748,
    title = "Plasma homocysteine, folate and B12 in chronic schizophrenia",
    author = "Haidemenos, Alexandros and Kontis, Dimitrios and Gazi, Anthia and and Kallai, Eleni and Allin, Matthew and Lucia, Boniatsi",
    journal = "Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry",
    year = "2007",
    volume = "31",
    number = "6",
    pages = "1289-1296",
    publisher = "PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD",
    issn = "0278-5846",
    doi = "10.1016/j.pnpbp.2007.05.011",
    keywords = "B12; folate; gender; homocysteine; schizophrenia",
    abstract = "Elevated plasma levels of the amino acid homocysteine have been
associated with schizophrenia, particularly in young male patients.
Among other factors, low folate and vitamin B 12 levels have been
implicated in the increase in homocysteine. In order to investigate this
association, we determined plasma homocysteine, folate and B 12 levels
in 97 (67 males and 3 0 females) inpatients with chronic schizophrenia
and 103 (46 males and 57 females) controls. Patients and controls did
not differ in folate or B 12 levels, after adjusting for age. Patients
with schizophrenia had higher plasma homocysteine than controls
(mean=15.42 mu mol/l in cases versus 11.54 mu mol/l in controls:
F(1,195)= 17.978; p<0.001). This difference persisted after controlling
for folate and B12 concentrations. Both male and female patients had
increased plasma homocysteine compared to controls [(males: mean=
16.61 mu mol/l in cases versus mean= 13.72 in controls: F(1,110)=5.54;
p=0.020) (females: mean= 12.78 mu mol/l in cases versus mean=9.79 mu
mol/l in controls: F(1,84)= 13.54; p<0.001)]. When dividing our sample
into two age groups (age < and >= 50 years), both young and older
females and younger males with schizophrenia had increased plasma
homocysteine compared to controls. We therefore suggest that
homocysteinemia is a general risk factor for schizophrenia. We further
suggest that it is not limited to young male patients and is not
necessarily associated with low folate or B12 levels. (C) 2007 Elsevier
Inc. All rights reserved."
}