A Study Of The Effect On BDNF, CRP And Cognitive Function In Patients With Schizophrenia Treated By Berberine Combined With Risperidone

Objective:Schizophrenia is a chronic severe mental illness with etiology and pathogenesis unknown. In addition to the neurotransmitter hypothesis, also may be associated with neurotrophic and nerve injury theories. Inflammation may also play an important role in the development of mental disease, especially there is a significant correlation with the occurrence of schizophrenia, which is often associated with the progression of severe cognitive impairment, influencing on the prognosis and become a major public health problem. Studies have shown that berberine antagonize oxidative stress levels and inhibition the inflammatory reaction. Animal experiments show that it can protect nerve cells and improve learning and memory function and so on. However, this role is limited to animal studies, clinical studies have not been reported. This study is to investigate the effect of berberine on cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia and to check the levels of Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and CRP about its possible mechanism. Providing clues for further study on pathogenesis of schizophrenia and to find new treatments.Methods:This is a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study according to DSM-V diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. We selected 64 cases of hospitalized patients with schizophrenia who are use risperidone only and they were randomly divided into the Study Group and the Control Group with gender, age homogeneous matched. During the study both groups maintained the risperidone treatment for a total of 12 weeks, the research group added berberine(300 mg TID), the control group added placebo instead. Baseline were measured at the 0 week, including blood tests,TMTA,SC,Fluency,NAB-Mazes,MSCEIT-ME,PSP scale. Repeat the baseline measurements at 12 week, measure the serum BDNF and CRP levels to assess the changes on information and cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia. Results Data were analyzed using SPSS17.0 statistical package,and the P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Result:1.Comparing with the baseline, the research group demonstrated significantly increasing in BDNF(P<0.01), and the increase was more obvious than the control group. There is a significant difference in BDNF between the two groups after the treatment(P<0.05).2.Comparing with the baseline, the research group demonstrated significantly decreasing in CRP(P<0.01), and the decline was more obvious than the control group. There is a significant difference in CRP between the two groups after the treatment(P<0.05).3. Comparing with the baseline, the processing speed, NAB-Mazes and MSCEIT-ME of the research group significantly increased(P<0.01); compared with control group the processing speed,MSCEIT-ME of research group were obviously improved(P<0.05).4.Comparing with the baseline, the role,relationships,self-care,aggression,PSP total score of the research group were obviously improved(P<0.05). Compared with control group,the role item of the research group significantly increased(P<0.01)and no significantly improvement was observed on the other items of PSP scale(P>0.05).Conclusion:1.Berberine can significantly increase the BDNF level of schizophrenia patients with risperidone treatment,and has neuroprotective effects.2.Berberine can significantly decrease the CRP level of schizophrenia patients with risperidone treatment,inhibition the inflammatory reaction.3.Berberine can improve the cognition function of patients with schizophrenia in TMTA,SC,MSCEIT-ME and role,but no improvement on executive function.