Plasma amino acids profile in first-episode psychosis, unaffected siblings and community-based controls

Investigations of plasma amino acids in early psychosis and their unaffected siblings are rare. We measured plasma amino acids involved in the co-activation of dopaminergic, GABAergic, glutamatergic, and serotoninergic neurotransmitters in first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients (n=166), unaffected siblings (n=76), and community-based controls (n=166) included in a cross-sectional study. Plasma levels of glutamic acid (GLU), glutamine, glycine, proline (PRO), tryptophan (TRP), tyrosine, serine and GABA were quantified by gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry. We used the generalized linear model adjusted by sex, age, and body mass index for group comparison and paired t-test for FEP-Sibling pairs. FEP had reduced GABA plasma levels compared to siblings and controls (p<0.05 for both). Siblings had lower GLU, Glx and PRO (p<0.05 for all) but increased TRP compared to patients and controls (p<0.05 for both). FEP patients with longer duration of pharmacological treatment and medicated only with antipsychotics had increased GLU compared to FEP with shorter periods, or with those treated with a combination of medications (p<0.05 for both). Finally, FEP patients treated only with antipsychotics presented higher Glx compared to those with mixed medications (p=0.026). Our study suggests that FEP have low a GABA plasma profile. Unaffected siblings may be a possible risk group for metabolic abnormalities.