DNA damage and repair efficiency in lymphocytes from schizophrenic patients

In the present study we examined schizophrenic patients' lymphocytes sensitivity to the effects of external factors, such as hydrogen peroxide and gamma-irradiation and also their repair efficiency with the comet assay. Our results did no show any difference in basal levels of DNA damage between schizophrenic and normal populations. The slightly increased sensitivity of the schizophrenic population to the externally induced DNA damage compared to controls was not statistically significant. Also the small reduction in the DNA repair efficiency in schizophrenics in comparison to normal population was found to be not statistically significant. Finally, patients with heritable predisposition to schizophrenia did not show any difference in their response from the other schizophrenics. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.