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Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites in the pathobiology of schizophrenia

Undurti N Das1

  • 1UND Life Sciences, 13800 Fairhill Road, Shaker Heights, OH 44120, USA. undurti@hotmail.com

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|June 28, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Schizophrenia may stem from perinatal inflammation, potentially treatable with polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Supplementing PUFAs during development and adulthood could prevent and treat this condition.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Nutritional Psychiatry

Background:

  • Schizophrenia is proposed as a low-grade systemic inflammatory disease originating in the perinatal period.
  • Genetic, environmental, and nutritional factors may interact to increase pro-inflammatory cytokines, damaging fetal neurons and leading to adult-onset schizophrenia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in schizophrenia.
  • To investigate PUFAs' neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
  • To assess the potential of PUFA supplementation in schizophrenia prevention and treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and theoretical proposal.
  • Analysis of the biochemical pathways involving PUFAs and pro-inflammatory cytokines.
  • Examination of the impact of desaturase enzyme activity on PUFA metabolism.

Main Results:

  • PUFAs and their metabolites exhibit neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties, inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokine production.
  • Reduced PUFA formation due to low desaturase activity may increase inflammation and neuronal damage, predisposing to schizophrenia.
  • PUFAs are crucial for brain development, suggesting a role in schizophrenia etiology.

Conclusions:

  • Perinatal and adult PUFA supplementation may prevent and treat schizophrenia.
  • Synthetic analogs of PUFA metabolites could offer therapeutic benefits for schizophrenia.
  • Addressing PUFA metabolism and inflammation presents a novel therapeutic strategy for schizophrenia.

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