Clin Psychopharmacol Neurosci.  2021 Feb;19(1):155-159. 10.9758/cpn.2021.19.1.155.

Positive Symptoms in Antipsychotic-naïve Schizophrenia are Associated with Increased Body Mass Index after Treatment

• Lin SH
• Tseng HH
• Tsai HC
• Chi MH
• Lee IH
• Chen PS
• Chen KC
• Yang YK

• KMID: 2513401
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.9758/cpn.2021.19.1.155

Abstract

Objective
Weight gain is an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality among patients with schizophrenia. We speculated that positive symptoms, related to dopaminergic hyperactivity and altered mesolimbic function, are associated with weight gain.
Methods
Twenty-two antipsychotic-naïve, first-episode patients with schizophrenia were enrolled. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale was completed at enrollment and follow-up. Body mass index (BMI) was also measured.
Results
The increase in BMI, after 6.04 ± 2.16 years of follow-up, was associated with positive symptoms, but not negative symptoms, before treatment with antipsychotics in antipsychotic-naïve patients with schizophrenia.
Conclusion
This finding implied that dopaminergic hyperactivity could be an important factor to predict the treatment outcome. Body weight control is important for the health management of patients with schizophrenia with more severe positive symptoms.

Keyword

Mesolimbic pathway; Metabolic syndrome; Positive syndrome; Schizophrenia; Weight gain