Tier 4 — mechanistic

Global DNA hypomethylation and its correlation to the betaine level in peripheral blood of patients with schizophrenia

Yui Murata, Tempei Ikegame, Shinsuke Koike, Takeo Saito, Masashi Ikeda, Tsukasa Sasaki, Nakao Iwata, Kiyoto Kasai, Miki Bundo, Kazuya Iwamoto
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry 2020 99:109855

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 31911076
DOI
10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.109855
Funding
Funding was not specified in the indexed record or accessible funding metadata.
Competing interests
Reported disclosure: None declared.

Study snapshot

DesignCase-control biomarker study
ModelHuman participants
SampleFirst-episode sample 24 cases/42 controls; larger chronic psychiatric cohorts
InterventionMeasured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment
DurationCross-sectional blood sampling
EndpointsDNA methylation; Schizophrenia biomarkers

What the study showed, in plain terms

Published in 2020, this source examined human observational and biomarker research. Design: Case-control biomarker study. Sample/model: First-episode sample 24 cases/42 controls; larger chronic psychiatric cohorts. The exposure or intervention was Measured betaine status and related metabolites; no randomized TMG treatment. Follow-up or treatment period: Cross-sectional blood sampling.

Lower blood betaine and global DNA hypomethylation were observed in schizophrenia, with correlations between the measures.

Observational exposure analysis: residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible. Associations do not establish that betaine supplementation causes the same outcome. Diet recall, case selection or illness-related metabolite changes may introduce bias.

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Key findings

  • Lower blood betaine and global DNA hypomethylation were observed in schizophrenia, with correlations between the measures.
  • The recorded outcome domains were DNA methylation; Schizophrenia biomarkers.
  • The exposure was observed rather than assigned as an isolated supplement treatment.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Observational exposure analysis: residual confounding and reverse causation remain possible. Associations do not establish that betaine supplementation causes the same outcome. Diet recall, case selection or illness-related metabolite changes may introduce bias.
  • Confounding, dietary patterns, illness, medication use and reverse causation can influence an association. Blood or dietary concentrations do not identify the effect of starting a capsule.
  • Source basis: Indexed abstract and bibliographic data. Missing method details, funding information or participant denominators are not inferred.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology