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Adiposity in schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Emily Smith1,2, Raghunath Singh1, Jiwon Lee1,2
1Schizophrenia Division, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|August 30, 2021
Summary
Schizophrenia patients show increased body fat, subcutaneous, and visceral adipose tissue compared to controls. Antipsychotic medication further elevates subcutaneous and visceral fat, with young, untreated patients being most vulnerable.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience and metabolic health research.
- Investigating the impact of psychiatric medication on body composition.
Background:
- Schizophrenia (SCZ) is linked to metabolic dysregulation, but the role of adiposity is unclear.
- Antipsychotic (AP) medications are crucial for SCZ management but may influence metabolic parameters.
Approach:
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of 29 imaging studies.
- Quantified percent body fat (%BF), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in SCZ patients versus controls.
- Analyzed the effects of AP treatment on adiposity measures.
Key Points:
- SCZ patients exhibit significantly higher %BF, SAT, and VAT than healthy individuals.
- AP treatment demonstrably increases SAT and VAT, but not %BF.
- AP-free/naïve patients showed a greater change in %BF compared to treated patients.
Conclusions:
- SCZ patients have elevated adiposity, exacerbated by AP treatment.
- Young, AP-naïve individuals may be more susceptible to AP-induced adiposity.
- Further research is needed on specific APs and their metabolic health implications.
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