Comparison of serum essential trace metals between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls

Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that essential trace metals (ETMs) play an important role in the pathophysiology of brain-based disorders, including schizophrenia. This case-control study aimed to evaluate the association between ETMs and schizophrenia, and to further examine the association between ETMs and clinical characteristics in schizophrenia. One-hundred and five (n = 105) subjects who meet DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia between the ages of 18 and 40 were recruited for the study. One hundred and six (n = 106) age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited for comparison. Serum concentrations of seven ETMs [i.e. iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni) and molybdenum (Mo)] were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, which allows for the quantitative analysis of multiple ETMs at a single time point. Compared to HCs, serum concentrations of Mn and Mo were significantly lower in patients with schizophrenia. In contrast, serum concentrations of Fe and Ni were significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia. Additionally, correlations between specific ETMs and metabolic parameters (particularly those related to liver and renal function) were found in patients with schizophrenia, and the correlations between every two ETMs in HCs were widely interrupted. Differential levels of selected ETMs (i.e., Mn, Mo, and Ni) were identified between patients with schizophrenia and HCs following adjustment for potential confounders. The findings here should therefore be evaluated in future studies.