The Effect of Adjunctive Mangosteen Pericarp on Cognition in People With Schizophrenia: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Wolfgang Marx; David R Skvarc; Mohammadreza Mohebbi; Adam J Walker; Alcy Meehan; Alyna Turner; Andrea Baker; Seetal Dodd; Sue M Cotton; James Graham Scott; Bianca E Kavanagh; Melanie M Ashton; Ellie Brown; John J McGrath; Michael Berk; Olivia May Dean

doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.626486

The Effect of Adjunctive Mangosteen Pericarp on Cognition in People With Schizophrenia: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Front Psychiatry. 2021 Jun 15:12:626486. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.626486. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Wolfgang Marx¹, David R Skvarc¹, Mohammadreza Mohebbi², Adam J Walker¹, Alcy Meehan¹, Alyna Turner^{1

3}, Andrea Baker⁴, Seetal Dodd^{1

5}, Sue M Cotton^{5

6}, James Graham Scott^{4

7

8}, Bianca E Kavanagh¹, Melanie M Ashton¹, Ellie Brown^{5

6}, John J McGrath^{4

9

10}, Michael Berk¹, Olivia May Dean^{1

11}

Affiliations

¹ Deakin University, The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation (IMPACT), School of Medicine, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
² Biostatistics Unit, Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
³ School of Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Queensland Center for Mental Health Research, The Park Center for Mental Health, Wacol, QLD, Australia.
⁵ Center for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁶ Orygen, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
⁷ QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Mental Health Programme, Herston, QLD, Australia.
⁸ Metro North Mental Health Service Herston, Herston, QLD, Australia.
⁹ Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.
¹⁰ National Center for Register-Based Research, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
¹¹ Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Cognitive impairment is prevalent and often highly burdensome in people with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate if mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana Linn.) pericarp extract may be an effective intervention to improve cognitive performance in this population. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a larger randomized placebo-controlled trial that investigated a 24-weeks intervention of mangosteen pericarp extract supplementation in people diagnosed with schizophrenia. A subset of n = 114 participants with completed cognitive outcomes at follow up were included in this analysis. Using the Cogstate Brief Battery, the following cognitive outcomes were assessed: psychomotor function, attention, visual learning and memory (visual and working). Subgroup analyses investigated whether baseline clinical parameters (baseline cognitive functioning, illness severity and duration, depressive symptoms) moderated the relationship between mangosteen pericarp extract intervention and change in cognitive outcomes. Results: There were no significant between-group changes in any cognitive outcomes assessed. Subgroup analysis based on baseline cognition and clinical characteristics did not reveal any significant between-group difference in change. Conclusions: Mangosteen pericarp extract did not affect cognitive outcomes in people with schizophrenia. Further investigation regarding optimal dosing strategies for mangosteen interventions and the testing of additional cognitive domains may be warranted. Trial Registration: ANZCTR.org.au identifier: ACTRN12616000859482, registered 30 June 3 2016.

Keywords: Mangostana garcinia Linn.; cognition; mangosteen; mental disorders; psychiatry; schizoaffective disorder; schizophrenia.