Fresh Data on Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases - Type 2 Diabetes

Strategic Insights -

Research conducted at Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) in Barcelona, Spain, has uncovered fresh insights into the relationship between first episode psychosis (FEP) and glucose homeostasis abnormalities. The study, published in Schizophrenia Research, found that FEP patients exhibited altered genetic risk for glycemic traits, despite no direct association between common genetic variants underlying type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and early glycemic dysregulation in FEP.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed data from 242 FEP patients and 119 controls, assessing fasting serum glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) at baseline and 24 months.
  • Significant associations were observed between polygenic risk scores (PRS) for T2DM and glycemic measures in controls, but not in FEP patients.
  • The absence of a direct association between common genetic variants underlying T2DM and early glycemic dysregulation in FEP underscores the importance of considering environmental factors and epigenetic mechanisms.
  • The study suggests that genetic predisposition may influence glucose homeostasis in early psychosis, but further research is needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms.
  • The research team compared polygenic risk scores (PRS) for T2DM, fasting glucose, and HbA1c between FEP patients and controls, examining their associations with glycemic measures over 24 months.
  • The study's findings have implications for the early detection and prevention of type 2 diabetes in individuals with first episode psychosis.

Statistics:

  • 242 FEP patients and 119 controls were analyzed in the study.
  • The study assessed fasting serum glucose and HbA1c at baseline and 24 months in both groups.
  • Significant associations were observed between PRS for T2DM and glycemic measures in controls (p = 0.008), PRS during follow-up (p = 0.034), PRS at 24 months (p = 0.018), and HbA1c longitudinally (p = 0.025).
  • The association between PRS and baseline serum glucose in controls remained significant after multiple testing corrections (p_adj = 0.023).

Sources:

  • Polygenic risk score of glycemic homeostasis, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and glycemic components in first episode psychosis, Schizophrenia Research, 2025;285:265-275
  • Institut d'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS)
  • Elsevier, Radarweg 29, 1043 Nx Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • NewsRx LLC, Mental Health Weekly Digest, October 27, 2025; p 453