An analysis of serum calcineurin activity in drug naïve schizophrenia patients

Nivedita S. Shireshi; Dr.K.S.Devaraju

Volume : VI, Issue : VIII, August - 2017

An analysis of serum calcineurin activity in drug naïve schizophrenia patients

Nivedita S. Shireshi, Dr. K. S. Devaraju

Abstract :

Calcineurin is a Ca–calmodulin dependent protein phosphatase, which plays as connecting link between dopaminergic and glutamatargic neurotransmitter systems and their dysregulation in schizophrenia. The main objective of this study was to examine the potential role of calcineurin in schizophrenia. Calcineurin levels were estimated in 15 schizophrenia patients in the age group of 18–45 who were attending outpatient department of psychiatry, Dharwad institute of mental health and Neurosciences, Dharwad in Karnataka, India. The results of the present study showed significant (≥0.001) decreased activity of serum calcineurin in schizophrenia patients compared to those of normal subjects. The observations thus suggest impaired calcineurin activity in schizophrenia patients.