Assessment of oxidative stress markers in multi-episode schizophrenia: a comparative study before and after electroconvulsive therapy and their correlation with clinical improvement.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Lianyungang Psychiatric Hospital, The Fourth People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Hospital of KangDa College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222003, P.R. China.
- 2Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215137, P.R. China.
- 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, Lianyungang Psychiatric Hospital, The Fourth People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Hospital of KangDa College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222003, P.R. China.
- 4Department of Psychiatry, Lianyungang Psychiatric Hospital, The Fourth People's Hospital of Lianyungang, The Affiliated Hospital of KangDa College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang, 222003, P.R. China. [email protected].
- 5Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215137, P.R. China. [email protected].
- 6Department of Psychiatry, The Affiliated Guangji Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215137, P.R. China. [email protected].
Abstract
Objective
This study examined oxidative stress (OS) markers in acute relapse schizophrenia, assessed the impact of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and explored correlations with clinical improvement.Methods
110 Han Chinese patients and 55 healthy controls were enrolled. All enrolled patients had multi-episode schizophrenia with a mean illness duration of 11.15 ± 9.11 years. Patients received 8-12 bilateral ECT sessions plus antipsychotics. Serum levels of GSH-Px, MnSOD, CuZnSOD, and CAT were measured before and after ECT. Symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).Results
At baseline, schizophrenia patients showed significantly lower serum levels of GSH-Px, MnSOD, and CAT, while the MnSOD/CuZnSOD ratio was decreased, CuZnSOD levels showed a non‑significant trend as compared to healthy controls. GSH-Px levels were negatively correlated with the PANSS positive subscale scores (p = 0.007). Following ECT, all PANSS scores significantly decreased (all p < 0.001). Serum levels of GSH-Px, TSOD, CuZnSOD, and CAT increased significantly, while MnSOD levels and the MnSOD/CuZnSOD ratio significantly decreased (all p < 0.01). In responders, changes to OS markers were significant (all p < 0.01). Increases in GSH-Px levels were positively correlated to reductions in the PANSS total score (Bonferroni corrected p = 0.024) and general subscale scores (Bonferroni corrected p = 0.008). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the baseline GSH-Px level as an independent potential indicator of clinical improvement (p = 0.001).Conclusion
Acute relapse schizophrenia shows significant redox imbalance. ECT in combination with antipsychotics modulates antioxidant enzymes, and GSH-Px dynamics correlate with symptom improvement, suggesting its potential as a predictive and monitoring biomarker for ECT outcomes.Clinical trial
Not applicable.
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BibTeX
@article{yang2026assessment,
title = {{Assessment of oxidative stress markers in multi-episode schizophrenia: a comparative study before and after electroconvulsive therapy and their correlation with clinical improvement.}},
author = {Man Yang and Qing Tian and Xue Yuan and Dongliang Liu and Qiang Shi and Haidong Yang and Xiaobin Zhang},
journal = {BMC psychiatry},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12888-026-08437-8},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902268},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Assessment of oxidative stress markers in multi-episode schizophrenia: a comparative study before and after electroconvulsive therapy and their correlation with clinical improvement.
AU - Man Yang
AU - Qing Tian
AU - Xue Yuan
AU - Dongliang Liu
AU - Qiang Shi
AU - Haidong Yang
AU - Xiaobin Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC psychiatry
DO - 10.1186/s12888-026-08437-8
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42902268
AB - Objective This study examined oxidative stress (OS) markers in acute relapse schizophrenia, assessed the impact of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and explored correlations with clinical improvement.Methods 110 Han Chinese patients and 55 healthy controls were enrolled. All enrolled patients had multi-episode schizophrenia with a mean illness duration of 11.15 ± 9.11 years. Patients received 8-12 bilateral ECT sessions plus antipsychotics. Serum levels of GSH-Px, MnSOD, CuZnSOD, and CAT were measured before and after ECT. Symptoms were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).Results At baseline, schizophrenia patients showed significantly lower serum levels of GSH-Px, MnSOD, and CAT, while the MnSOD/CuZnSOD ratio was decreased, CuZnSOD levels showed a non‑significant trend as compared to healthy controls. GSH-Px levels were negatively correlated with the PANSS positive subscale scores (p = 0.007). Following ECT, all PANSS scores significantly decreased (all p < 0.001). Serum levels of GSH-Px, TSOD, CuZnSOD, and CAT increased significantly, while MnSOD levels and the MnSOD/CuZnSOD ratio significantly decreased (all p < 0.01). In responders, changes to OS markers were significant (all p < 0.01). Increases in GSH-Px levels were positively correlated to reductions in the PANSS total score (Bonferroni corrected p = 0.024) and general subscale scores (Bonferroni corrected p = 0.008). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the baseline GSH-Px level as an independent potential indicator of clinical improvement (p = 0.001).Conclusion Acute relapse schizophrenia shows significant redox imbalance. ECT in combination with antipsychotics modulates antioxidant enzymes, and GSH-Px dynamics correlate with symptom improvement, suggesting its potential as a predictive and monitoring biomarker for ECT outcomes.Clinical trial Not applicable.
SN - 1471-244X
ER -