Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment

Abstract Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a significant role in metabolism and inflammation. Elevated serum levels of GDF-15 have been associated with mood disorders. We propose that GDF-15 may potentially influence cognitive impairment and metabolism in...

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Main Authors: Tianming Guo, Lihua Chen, Wenxi Sun, Haidong Yang, Jin Li, Xiaobin Zhang, Peng Chen
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Schizophrenia
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00541-6
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author Tianming Guo
Lihua Chen
Wenxi Sun
Haidong Yang
Jin Li
Xiaobin Zhang
Peng Chen
author_facet Tianming Guo
Lihua Chen
Wenxi Sun
Haidong Yang
Jin Li
Xiaobin Zhang
Peng Chen
author_sort Tianming Guo
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a significant role in metabolism and inflammation. Elevated serum levels of GDF-15 have been associated with mood disorders. We propose that GDF-15 may potentially influence cognitive impairment and metabolism in male patients with chronic schizophrenia (CS), although there is limited research on this topic. This study compared serum GDF-15 levels in 72 male patients with CS and 85 healthy controls (HC). The severity of psychotic symptoms was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), while cognitive performance was evaluated with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). The male CS patients performed worse than the healthy controls in both the total score and all subscales of the RBANS. Serum GDF-15 concentrations were significantly higher in the male CS patients compared to the healthy controls. Furthermore, the log-transformed serum GDF-15 concentrations in male CS patients were positively correlated with BMI and negatively correlated with Delayed Memory scores, Immediate Memory, and the total RBANS score. This preliminary study suggests that elevated serum GDF-15 levels in male patients with chronic schizophrenia may play a role in cognitive function and BMI regulation.
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issn 2754-6993
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publishDate 2024-12-01
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series Schizophrenia
spelling doaj-art-af09eb3f4cb1442d871ff3143e2da0d82025-08-20T02:31:48ZengNature PortfolioSchizophrenia2754-69932024-12-011011810.1038/s41537-024-00541-6Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairmentTianming Guo0Lihua Chen1Wenxi Sun2Haidong Yang3Jin Li4Xiaobin Zhang5Peng Chen6Xuzhou Medical UniversityPsychiatry Department of Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow UniversityPsychiatry Department of Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow UniversitySuzhou Medical College of Soochow UniversityPsychiatry Department of Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow UniversityPsychiatry Department of Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow UniversityPsychiatry Department of Suzhou Guangji Hospital, Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow UniversityAbstract Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine that plays a significant role in metabolism and inflammation. Elevated serum levels of GDF-15 have been associated with mood disorders. We propose that GDF-15 may potentially influence cognitive impairment and metabolism in male patients with chronic schizophrenia (CS), although there is limited research on this topic. This study compared serum GDF-15 levels in 72 male patients with CS and 85 healthy controls (HC). The severity of psychotic symptoms was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), while cognitive performance was evaluated with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). The male CS patients performed worse than the healthy controls in both the total score and all subscales of the RBANS. Serum GDF-15 concentrations were significantly higher in the male CS patients compared to the healthy controls. Furthermore, the log-transformed serum GDF-15 concentrations in male CS patients were positively correlated with BMI and negatively correlated with Delayed Memory scores, Immediate Memory, and the total RBANS score. This preliminary study suggests that elevated serum GDF-15 levels in male patients with chronic schizophrenia may play a role in cognitive function and BMI regulation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00541-6
spellingShingle Tianming Guo
Lihua Chen
Wenxi Sun
Haidong Yang
Jin Li
Xiaobin Zhang
Peng Chen
Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment
Schizophrenia
title Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment
title_full Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment
title_fullStr Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment
title_full_unstemmed Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment
title_short Increased GDF-15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia: correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment
title_sort increased gdf 15 in chronic male patients with schizophrenia correlation with body mass index and cognitive impairment
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41537-024-00541-6
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