Correlation of plasma neurosteroid levels to the severity of negative symptoms in male patients with schizophrenia

The authors examined the correlations among plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol, progesterone, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and their relationship with the scales for assessment of negative symptoms (SANS) in the male schizophrenic patients with negative symptoms. The subjects were 28 male schizophrenic patients categorized as with low negative symptoms (N = 14) and with moderate negative symptoms (N = 14) and 13 healthy subjects. Plasma levels of neurosteroids were measured by radioimmunoassay. Significant correlations of SANS scores with plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol and testosterone, but not progesterone and DHEA-S, were found in the male schizophrenic patients. Furthermore, plasma levels of ACTH, cortisol, and testosterone in the male schizophrenic patients with moderate negative symptoms, but not low negative symptoms, were significantly different from normal controls. The measurements of plasma neurosteroid levels could be a useful biological marker for the severity of negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients.