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Trial Lecture – time and place
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Adjudication committee
- First opponent: Professor Robert Bodén, Uppsala University, Sweden
- Second opponent: Researcher Anja Torsvik, University of Bergen
- Third member and chair of the evaluation committee: Professor II Toril Dammen, University of Oslo
Chair of the Defence
Professor Jens Petter Berg, University of Oslo
Principal Supervisor
Senior Consultant Physician Mats Fredriksen, Vestfold Hospital Trust
Summary
Low grade inflammation in people with schizophrenia – associations with symptoms and effect of a physical exercise intervention.
Immune system changes with chronic low grade inflammation, can be found within a subgroup of people with schizophrenia, despite the lack of obvious reason (e.g. infection or injury). A novel inflammatory marker, suPAR, provides a new angle of investigation into these immune changes.
The aims of the thesis Low grade inflammation and soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor in schizophrenia: Exploring levels, clinical associations and effects of physical exercise were to examine suPAR levels in people with schizophrenia, using blood samples, clinical interviews, questionnaires and cardio-respiratory tests.
Levels of suPAR were higher in study-participants with schizophrenia compared to healthy people. When investigating this, in the well-known inflammatory marker CRP, the results were more evident for suPAR.
Exploring the possibility that suPAR could be linked to symptoms or other clinical characteristics, a positive association between suPAR and depressive symptoms became evident. This association turned out to be rather robust in women. For CRP there was no such association with depressive symptoms.
About 40% of the study participants with schizophrenia took part in a 12-week randomized controlled exercise study comparing effects of low intensity activity and high intensity training aimed at improving cardiorespiratory fitness.
Better cardiorespiratory fitness and working capacity on the treadmill were correlated with lower suPAR and CRP as well as other inflammatory markers. However, the 12-week exercise program did not lower the suPAR levels or levels of other inflammatory biomarkers as anticipated.
Additional information
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