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STUDY PROTOCOL article
Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Schizophrenia
Volume 15 - 2024 |
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1451678
The clock is ticking on schizophrenia: a study protocol for a translational study integrating phenotypic, genomic, microbiome and biomolecular data to overcome disability
Provisionally accepted- 1 San Raffaele Hospital (IRCCS), Milan, Lombardy, Italy
- 2 University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
- 3 University of Padua, Padua, Italy
Background: Shared biological factors may play a role in both the cognitive deficits and the increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome observed in individuals with Schizophrenia (SCZ).These factors could entail disturbances in tryptophan (Trp) to both melatonin (MLT) and kynurenine (Kyn) metabolic pathways, as well as inflammation and alterations in the gut microbiome composition.The present research project aims to investigate this hypothesis by recruiting 170 SCZ patients from two different recruitment sites, assessing their cognitive functions and screening for the presence of metabolic syndrome. Additionally, we plan to assess the impact of a 3-month cognitive remediation therapy on 30 of these patients. We will analyse clinical data alongside serum biomarkers and gene expression related to the Trp-to MLT and Kyn metabolic pathways, markers of inflammatory and composition of the gut microbiome. The association between Trp-MLT-Kyn levels, expression levels of selected genes, inflammatory markers and clinical phenotypes will be analysed in the context of general linear models.Discussion: This project has the potential to identify some typical SCZ symptomatic clusters that will be more stringently associated with variations in the Trp-MLT-Kyn/inflammatory system and with a better response to cognitive remediation therapy. Moreover, in a future perspective, it may highlight a group of patients who may benefit from a pharmacological treatment aiming at reinstating the physiological Trp to MLT and Kyn system. Therefore, it has the potential to move research toward a personalized approach for SCZ management.
Keywords: Schizophrenia, Cognitive Function, metabolic syndrome, Tryptophan, Kynurenine, Melatonin system, microbiota
Received: 19 Jun 2024; Accepted: 07 Oct 2024.
Copyright: Ā© 2024 Mercuriali, Lodde, Paribello, Sapienza, Corona, ave, Pacini, Nocera, Corrias, El Kacemi, DāIncalzi, Frau, Monzani, Valtorta, Congiu, Meloni, Scherma, Fadda, Dedoni, Siddi, Sut, Dall'Acqua, Nasini, Barzon, Squassina, Cavallaro, Manchia, Pisanu, Bosia and Comai. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Stefano Comai, University of Padua, Padua, Italy
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