Study on association between lipid profile values and psychiatric disorders

Abstract

Background: Cholesterol is especially abundant in nervous system, where it plays important role in different aspects of cellular structure (e.g. fluidity of cell membranes) and function (e.g. membrane). Several studies showed that there may be a link between depression and low cholesterol because of altered central serotonergic functions. On the other hand, some studies also showed either no such association or yielded inconsistent results. However, many studies have related low cholesterol with different psychiatric disorders. Hence, we intend to see the possible link between the two.

Aim: To study the association between lipid profile and psychiatric disorders.

Materials and methods: Patients attending Amala Institute of medical science, Psychiatry clinic in the month of January 2013 and whose lipid profile data before the start of treatment is available.

Design: Descriptive study. The patients were classified into Neurotic and Psychotic spectrum after being diagnosed with the psychiatric diseases based on International Classification of Diseases, 10(th) edition (ICD10) by a Psychiatrist. There lipid profile (Total cholesterol; LDL=Low Density Lipoprotein; HDL=High Density Lipoprotein; TAG=Triacylglycerol) were estimated before the initiation of anti-psychotic treatment.

Results: The lipid profile values though showed some statistically significant association between the psychotic and neurotic spectrum, there was no statistical significance between the low lipid profile and different psychiatric diseases.

Conclusion: We have found that there is no significant association between low lipid profile and any psychiatric diseases.

Keywords: Bipolar affective disorders (BPAD); Bipolar disorders (BPD); Depression; Lipid profile; Schizophrenia.