Relevance of measurement of bêta-2-microglobulin in schizophrenia

TL;DR

This study found higher levels of beta-2-microglobulin in people with schizophrenia compared to controls, suggesting a potential link to the condition.

Contribution

The study provides new evidence that beta-2-microglobulin levels are elevated in schizophrenia patients.

Findings

Schizophrenia patients had significantly higher β2M levels than controls (p<10-3).

Smoking status was the only factor associated with β2M levels in patients (p=0.046).

No other clinical or environmental factors were linked to β2M levels in the study.

Abstract

There are several arguments supporting the inflammatory hypothesis in schizophrenia (SCZ). Among the inflammatory markers, beta-2- microglobulin (β2M) is associated with abnormalities in neurogenesis and cognitive impairment described in (SCZ).

The objectives of our study were to evaluate the level of β2M in a group of patients compared with a control group and to investigate the sociodemographic, clinical, and environmental factors associated with elevated β2M levels

We conducted a cross-sectional in outpatients with SCZ. We collected patients sociodemographic, environmental, and clinical data. We assessed psychopathology with the PANSS. We measured serum β2M concentration.

We included 30 patients with SCZ compared with 20 controls. Patients mean age was 40,23±10,66. The mean level of β2M was 1,98 ± 0.42 mg/L for patients and 1.65±0.56 mg/L for control group. The difference was significant between the patient group and the control group (p<10-3). No environmental or clinical factors have been associated with β2M levels other than smoking status (p=0.046).

Further research with larger samples investigating the different stages of SCZ especially early psychosis would be needed to confirm the relevance of this biomarker in SCZ.

None Declared