Plasma lipid alterations in young adults with psychotic experiences: a study from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children cohort

Background: Psychotic experiences (PEs) are associated with an increased risk of future psychotic and non-psychotic mental disorders. The identification of biomarkers of PEs may provide insights regarding the underlying pathophysiology.

Methods: The current study applied targeted lipidomic approaches to compare plasma lipid profiles in participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort who did (n = 206) or did not (n = 206) have PEs when aged approximately 24 years.

Results: In total, 202 lipids including 8 lipid classes were measured by using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS). Eight lipid clusters were generated. Thirteen individual lipids were nominally significantly higher in the PEs group compared to the control group. After correction for multiple comparisons, 9 lipids comprising 3 lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs), 2 phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and 4 triacylglycerols (TGs) remained significant. In addition, PEs cases had increased levels of TGs and LPCs with a low double bond count.

Conclusions: These findings indicate plasma lipidomic abnormalities in individuals experiencing PEs. The lipidomic profile measures could aid our understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.