Saturated Fatty Acids and White Matter Microstructure in Individuals With At-risk Mental State

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• Psychiatry

Background:

• White matter microstructural abnormalities and altered fatty acid metabolism are noted before psychosis onset.
• Conventional Diffusion Tensor Imaging has limitations in assessing the biological relevance of fatty acids in white matter pathology.
• Free-water imaging offers enhanced specificity to white matter microstructure, measuring fractional volume of free-water (FW) and tissue-specific fractional anisotropy (FAt).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the associations between altered proportions of saturated or unsaturated fatty acids and free-water imaging parameters in individuals with at-risk mental state (ARMS).

Main Methods:

• Free-water imaging and Tract-Based Spatial Statistics were used to compare FAt and FW between 78 ARMS individuals and 129 healthy controls.
• In a subsample, relationships between erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition and FAt/FW were examined alongside clinical and cognitive variables.

Main Results:

• ARMS individuals showed higher saturated fatty acids and lower FAt, with higher FW in association and projection fibers compared to controls.
• In the ARMS group, increased saturated fatty acids were linked to reduced FAt, positive symptoms, and impaired verbal fluency.

Conclusions:

• The link between saturated fatty acids and FAt in ARMS suggests fatty acids influence white matter microstructure, potentially affecting myelin maintenance before psychosis onset.
• Future research should explore interventions targeting saturated fatty acid levels to mitigate white matter deterioration in early psychosis stages.