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Decreased nervonic acid levels in erythrocyte membranes predict psychosis in help-seeking ultra-high-risk individuals

Molecular Psychiatry volume 17, pages 1150–1152 (2012)Cite this article

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The use of biomarkers to predict who will develop schizophrenia (or other psychoses) is a key theme in current psychiatric research that has important implications for the development of early, or even prophylactic, treatment strategies. Here, we report that decreased levels of nervonic acid (NA), a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid important in the biosynthesis of myelin, correlate with prodromal symptoms, and predict conversion to psychosis in young people at high clinical risk for psychosis.

Neuronal membranes are largely made up of phospholipids. Arachidonic acid (AA, C20:4n-6), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6n-3) and NA (C24:1n-9) are the most important fatty acids in the nervous system. In addition to its structural role in the central nervous system, AA is a precursor for the eicosanoids: prostaglandins, prostacyclins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes. These compounds have complex roles in the control of the immune and inflammatory responses, and also act as messengers in the central nervous system.1 DHA is the most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid in the brain, and the major component of excitable membranes,2 whereas NA is the major constituent of the sphingolipids in myelin membranes.3

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grant 03T-315 from the Stanley Medical Research Institute. Dr G Paul Amminger was supported by grant 566529 from the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia. We would like to thank Konstantinos Papageorgiou for his assistance with data collection and data entry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    G P Amminger, M R Schäfer, S Goldstone, P D McGorry & M Berk

  2. Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    G P Amminger, M R Schäfer & C M Klier

  3. Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    J-M Slavik, I Holzer & M Holub

  4. Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    T J Whitford

  5. School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia

    M Berk

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  1. G P Amminger
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Correspondence to G P Amminger.

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Amminger, G., Schäfer, M., Klier, C. et al. Decreased nervonic acid levels in erythrocyte membranes predict psychosis in help-seeking ultra-high-risk individuals. Mol Psychiatry 17, 1150–1152 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/mp.2011.167

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