Advanced glycation end products and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia

PLoS One. 2021 May 26;16(5):e0251283. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0251283. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Advanced glycation end products play a key role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Cognitive impairment is one of the central features of schizophrenia; however, the association between advanced glycation end products and cognitive impairment remains unknown. This study investigated whether advanced glycation end products affect the cognitive domain in patients with schizophrenia. A total of 58 patients with chronic schizophrenia were included in this cross-sectional study. Plasma advanced glycation end products were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Neuropsychological and cognitive functions were assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Version, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test Keio-FS version. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, educational years, daily dose of antipsychotics, and psychotic symptoms revealed that processing speed was significantly associated with plasma pentosidine, a representative advanced glycation end product (standardized β = -0.425; p = 0.009). Processing speed is the cognitive domain affected by advanced glycation end products. Considering preceding evidence that impaired processing speed is related to poor functional outcome, interventions targeted at reducing advanced glycation end products may contribute to promoting recovery of patients with schizophrenia as well as cognitive function improvement.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arginine / analogs & derivatives
  • Arginine / metabolism
  • Cognition / physiology
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / metabolism*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Glycation End Products, Advanced / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lysine / analogs & derivatives
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products / metabolism
  • Schizophrenia / metabolism*

Substances

  • Glycation End Products, Advanced
  • Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products
  • Arginine
  • pentosidine
  • Lysine

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI (15K21648 to AK; 18K07579 to MM; 16H05380, 17H05930, 19H04887, and 20H03608 to MA); the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) (JP20dm0107088 to MI); the Uehara Memorial Foundation (to MA); SENSHIN Medical Research Foundation (to MA); and the Sumitomo Foundation (to MA). The JSPS, AMED, the Uehara Foundation, and the Sumitomo Foundation had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of the data; preparation, review, or approval of the manuscript; or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.