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Decreased free D-aspartate levels in the blood serum of patients with schizophrenia

2024; Frontiers Media; Volume: 15; Linguagem: Inglês

10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1408175

1664-0640

Martina Garofalo, Giuseppe De Simone, Zoraide Motta, Tommaso Nuzzo, Elisa De Grandis, Claudio Bruno, Silvia Boeri, Maria Pia Riccio, Lucio Pastore, Carmela Bravaccio, Felice Iasevoli, Francesco Salvatore, Loredano Pollegioni, Francesco Errico, Andrea de Bartolomeis, Alessandro Usiello,

Metabolism and Genetic Disorders

Introduction Schizophrenia (SCZ) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are neurodevelopmental diseases characterized by different psychopathological manifestations and divergent clinical trajectories. Various alterations at glutamatergic synapses have been reported in both disorders, including abnormal NMDA and metabotropic receptor signaling. Methods We conducted a bicentric study to assess the blood serum levels of NMDA receptors-related glutamatergic amino acids and their precursors, including L-glutamate, L-glutamine, D-aspartate, L-aspartate, L-asparagine, D-serine, L-serine and glycine, in ASD, SCZ patients and their respective control subjects. Specifically, the SCZ patients were subdivided into treatment-resistant and non-treatment-resistant SCZ patients, based on their responsivity to conventional antipsychotics. Results D-serine and D-aspartate serum reductions were found in SCZ patients compared to controls. Conversely, no significant differences between cases and controls were found in amino acid concentrations in the two ASD cohorts analyzed. Discussion This result further encourages future research to evaluate the predictive role of selected D-amino acids as peripheral markers for SCZ pathophysiology and diagnosis.