Taurine and glutathione in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in olanzapine treated patients with schizophrenia

Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Taurine and glutathione (GSH) have antioxidant and central nervous system protective properties, and are proposed to be involved in the pathology of schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to compare the blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of taurine and GSH in patients with schizophrenia, medicated with oral olanzapine, compared with controls. In total, 37 patients with schizophrenia and 45 healthy volunteers were recruited. We found the plasma taurine levels to be elevated in patients compared with controls. No differences were, however, found between patients and controls regarding taurine in CSF or GSH concentrations in plasma and CSF. Moreover, in the patient group no correlations between taurine and GSH levels and the symptoms or function of the disorder were found. The higher levels of plasma but not CSF taurine in patients with schizophrenia treated with OLA may implicate the involvement of taurine in the pathophysiology of the disease. The absence of GSH differences both in plasma and CSF between patients and controls is interesting in the perspective of earlier research proposing a dysregulation of GSH metabolism as a vulnerability factor for the development of schizophrenia.