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Preliminary comparative analysis of kynurenine pathway metabolites in chronic ketamine users, schizophrenic patients, and healthy controls
Author(s) -
Zhang Zhaohua,
Zhang Minling,
Luo Yayan,
Ni Xiaojia,
Lu Haoyang,
Wen Yuguan,
Fan Ni
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
human psychopharmacology: clinical and experimental
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.461
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1099-1077
pISSN - 0885-6222
DOI - 10.1002/hup.2738
Subject(s) - kynurenine , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , ketamine , kynurenic acid , beck depression inventory , positive and negative syndrome scale , kynurenine pathway , psychology , depression (economics) , medicine , anxiety , psychiatry , nmda receptor , pharmacology , psychosis , chemistry , tryptophan , receptor , biochemistry , amino acid , economics , macroeconomics
Objective The serum kynurenine pathway metabolites kynurenic acid (KYNA), kynurenine (KYN), and tryptophan (TRP) were examined in chronic ketamine users and in schizophrenic patients. The correlations of the metabolites with sociodemographic data, clinical characteristics, and drug use status were analyzed. Methods Seventy‐nine healthy controls, 78 ketamine users, and 80 schizophrenic patients were recruited. Serum TRP, KYN, and KYNA levels were measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography following tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Psychotic symptoms were evaluated using the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results Serum levels of TRP, KYNA, and KYN (in ketamine users only) were lower in ketamine users and schizophrenic patients than in controls ( p < .05). TRP and KYN were lower in ketamine users than in schizophrenic patients ( p < .01). KYNA levels were positively correlated with the current frequency of ketamine use in ketamine users ( p = .031), and serum KYNA levels were negatively correlated with the duration of schizophrenia ( p = .015). Conclusion TRP, KYNA, and KYN were lower in chronic ketamine users than in controls, and the alterations were in the same direction as those observed in schizophrenic patients.