Is schizophrenia a metabolic brain disorder? Membrane phospholipid dysregulation and its therapeutic implications

Membrane phospholipid metabolism dysregulation exists throughout the body from the onset of psychosis in schizophrenic patients. Dysregulation is primarily due to altered contents of phospholipid bound essential polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are enriched in the brain and are crucial for brain and behavioral development. Because phospholipids play a crucial role in receptor-mediated signal transduction of several neurotransmitters and growth factors, their altered metabolism may contribute to the reported abnormal brain development and information processing in schizophrenia. Severity of symptoms seems to correlate with the membrane AA and DHA status, which is influenced by patients' dietary intake and lifestyle. Such a metabolic defect can be prevented, and some membrane pathology can be corrected by dietary supplementation with a combination of AA and DHA and antioxidants such as vitamins E and C.