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Postolache TT, Medoff DR, Brown CH, Fang LJ, Upadhyaya SK, Lowry CA, Miller M, Kreyenbuhl JA. Lipophilic vs. hydrophilic statins and psychiatric hospitalizations and emergency room visits in US Veterans with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Pteridines 2021; 32:48-69. [PMID: 34887622 PMCID: PMC8654264 DOI: 10.1515/pteridines-2020-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective – Psychiatric hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits are costly, stigmatizing, and often ineffective. Given the immune and kynurenine activation in bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia, as well as the immune-modulatory effects of statins, we aimed to compare the relative risk (RRs) of psychiatric hospitalizations and ED visits between individuals prescribed lipophilic vs. hydrophilic statins vs. no statins. We hypothesized (a) reduced rates of hospitalization and ER utilization with statins versus no statins and (b) differences in outcomes between statins, as lipophilia increases the capability to penetrate the blood–brain barrier with potentially beneficial neuroimmune, antioxidant, neuroprotective, neurotrophic, and endothelial stabilizing effects, and, in contrast, potentially detrimental decreases in brain cholesterol concentrations leading to serotoninergic dysfunction, changes in membrane lipid composition, thus affecting ion channels and receptors. Methods – We used VA service utilization data from October 1, 2010 to September 30, 2015. The RRs for psychiatric hospitalization and ED visits, were estimated using robust Poisson regression analyses. The number of individuals analyzed was 683,129. Results – Individuals with schizophrenia and BD who received prescriptions for either lipophilic or hydrophilic statins had a lower RR of psychiatric hospitalization or ED visits relative to nonstatin controls. Hydrophilic statins were significantly associated with lower RRs of psychiatric hospitalization but not of ED visits, compared to lipophilic statins. Conclusion – The reduction in psychiatric hospitalizations in statin users (vs. nonusers) should be interpreted cautiously, as it carries a high risk of confounding by indication. While the lower RR of psychiatric hospitalizations in hydrophilic statins relative to the lipophilic statins is relatively bias free, the finding bears replication in a specifically designed study. If replicated, important clinical implications for personalizing statin treatment in patients with mental illness, investigating add-on statins for improved therapeutic control, and mechanistic exploration for identifying new treatment targets are natural next steps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teodor T Postolache
- VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America; Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - Deborah R Medoff
- VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatric Services Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Clayton H Brown
- VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Li Juan Fang
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatric Services Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Sanjaya K Upadhyaya
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
| | - Christopher A Lowry
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America; Military and Veteran Microbiome: Consortium for Research and Education (MVM-CoRE), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Denver, CO 80045, United States of America; Department of Integrative Physiology, Center for Neuroscience, Center for Microbial Exploration, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, United States of America; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, United States of America
| | - Michael Miller
- Department of Medicine, VAMC Baltimore and University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, United States of America
| | - Julie A Kreyenbuhl
- VISN 5 Capitol Health Care Network Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC), Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychiatric Services Research, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States of America
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Avan R, Sahebnasagh A, Hashemi J, Monajati M, Faramarzi F, Henney NC, Montecucco F, Jamialahmadi T, Sahebkar A. Update on Statin Treatment in Patients with Neuropsychiatric Disorders. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:1365. [PMID: 34947895 PMCID: PMC8703562 DOI: 10.3390/life11121365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Statins are widely accepted as first-choice agents for the prevention of lipid-related cardiovascular diseases. These drugs have both anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, which may also make them effective as potential treatment marked by perturbations in these pathways, such as some neuropsychiatric disorders. In this narrative review, we have investigated the effects of statin therapy in individuals suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD), schizophrenia, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), bipolar disorder (BD), delirium, and autism spectrum disorders using a broad online search of electronic databases. We also explored the adverse effects of these drugs to obtain insights into the benefits and risks associated with their use in the treatment of these disorders. Lipophilic statins (including simvastatin) because of better brain penetrance may have greater protective effects against MDD and schizophrenia. The significant positive effects of statins in the treatment of anxiety disorders without any serious adverse side effects were shown in numerous studies. In OCD, BD, and delirium, limitations, and contradictions in the available data make it difficult to draw conclusions on any positive effect of statins. The positive effects of simvastatin in autism disorders have been evaluated in only a small number of clinical trials. Although some studies showed positive effect of statins in some neuropsychiatric disorders, further prospective studies are needed to confirm this and define the most effective doses and treatment durations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Razieh Avan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), School of Pharmacy, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran;
| | - Adeleh Sahebnasagh
- Clinical Research Center, Department of Internal Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd 9453155166, Iran;
| | - Javad Hashemi
- Department of Pathobiology and Laboratory Sciences, School of Medicine, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd 9453155166, Iran;
| | - Mahila Monajati
- Department of Internal Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan 4934174515, Iran;
| | - Fatemeh Faramarzi
- Clinical Pharmacy Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran;
| | - Neil C. Henney
- Pharmacy & Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 5UX, UK;
| | - Fabrizio Montecucco
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino Genoa-Italian Cardiovascular Network, 10 Largo Benzi, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
- First Clinic of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, 6 Viale Benedetto XV, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Tannaz Jamialahmadi
- Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948564, Iran;
| | - Amirhossein Sahebkar
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948564, Iran
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948954, Iran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad 9177948954, Iran
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Jones GH, Vecera CM, Pinjari OF, Machado-Vieira R. Inflammatory signaling mechanisms in bipolar disorder. J Biomed Sci 2021; 28:45. [PMID: 34112182 PMCID: PMC8194019 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-021-00742-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bipolar disorder is a decidedly heterogeneous and multifactorial disease, with a high individual and societal burden. While not all patients display overt markers of elevated inflammation, significant evidence suggests that aberrant immune signaling contributes to all stages of the disease, and likely explains the elevated rates of comorbid inflammatory illnesses seen in this population. While individual systems have been intensely studied and targeted, a relative paucity of attention has been given to the interconnecting role of inflammatory signals therein. This review presents an updated overview of some of the most prominent pathophysiologic mechanisms in bipolar disorder, from mitochondrial, endoplasmic reticular, and calcium homeostasis, to purinergic, kynurenic, and hormonal/neurotransmitter signaling, showing inflammation to act as a powerful nexus between these systems. Several areas with a high degree of mechanistic convergence within this paradigm are highlighted to present promising future targets for therapeutic development and screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory H Jones
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), 1941 East Road, Houston, TX, 77054, USA.
| | - Courtney M Vecera
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), 1941 East Road, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Omar F Pinjari
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), 1941 East Road, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
| | - Rodrigo Machado-Vieira
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), 1941 East Road, Houston, TX, 77054, USA
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Fotso Soh J, Almadani A, Beaulieu S, Rajji T, Mulsant BH, Su CL, Renaud S, Mucsi I, Torres-Platas SG, Levinson A, Schaffer A, Dols A, Cervantes P, Low N, Herrmann N, Mantere O, Rej S. The effect of atorvastatin on cognition and mood in bipolar disorder and unipolar depression patients: A secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. J Affect Disord 2020; 262:149-154. [PMID: 31733459 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2019.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Statins have recently been linked to having effects on cognition and mood in mood disorders, though results are mixed. In this paper, we use data from a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) to examine the effect of statins on cognition and mood in patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). METHODS This is a secondary analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial (n = 60) originally designed to examine the effect of atorvastatin (n = 27) versus placebo (n = 33) for lithium-induced diabetes insipidus in BD and MDD patients who were using lithium. For this analysis, the primary outcome was global cognition Z-score at 12-weeks adjusted for baseline. The secondary cognition outcomes were (1) Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP), and (2) executive function Z-score. The primary mood outcome (secondary outcome of this analysis) was depression relapse during 12-week follow-up (Mongomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) ≥10). The secondary mood outcomes were (1) relapse rate into a manic episode, and (2) relapse rate into any mood episode. RESULTS After 12 weeks follow-up, atorvastatin and placebo groups did not differ in terms of global cognition Z-score (β = -0.009287 (-0.1698,0.1512), p-value = 0.91). Similarly, composite Z-scores for SCIP and executive functions did not differ significantly. Depression relapse during 12-week follow-up was not significantly different between the groups (χ2 (1) = 0.148, p-value = 0.70). Similarly, there was no difference between groups regarding relapse into mania. CONCLUSION In BD and MDD patients with lithium-induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus randomized to atorvastatin or placebo, we found no significant differences in cognition and mood outcomes at 12-week follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Fotso Soh
- Geri-PARTy Research Group, Jewish General Hospital/Lady Davis Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
| | - Ahmad Almadani
- Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Serge Beaulieu
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Tarek Rajji
- Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Chien-Lin Su
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Suzane Renaud
- Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Istvan Mucsi
- Division of Nephrology, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - S Gabriela Torres-Platas
- Geri-PARTy Research Group, Jewish General Hospital/Lady Davis Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Andrea Levinson
- Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Ayal Schaffer
- Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Annemiek Dols
- Department of Psychiatry, GGZ, inGeest, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Pablo Cervantes
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nancy Low
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Canada
| | - Nathan Herrmann
- Department of Psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Outi Mantere
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Soham Rej
- Geri-PARTy Research Group, Jewish General Hospital/Lady Davis Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
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