Serum Trace Element Status Of Psychiatric Patients At Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu Nigeria

ABSTRACT

A number of essential trace elements play major roles in various metabolic pathways.

Deficiencies or alterations in the level of these trace elements adversely affect the ability to

withstand oxidative stress-mediated cell damage. This study determined the serum status of

copper, zinc and manganese in psychiatric patients. One hundred (100) psychiatric patients

attending the Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu, Nigeria were categorized into two groups:

fifty (50) patients on antipsychotic drugs and fifty (50) psychotic drug naive patients seen at

the emergency unit of the hospital. Fifty (50) apparently healthy subjects matched for age and

sex served as control. The concentration of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) and manganese (Mn) were

determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The mean serum levels of

zinc, copper and manganese in psychotics on drug were 86.75±5.39ug/dl, 95.77±7.71ug/dl

and 5.72±2.58ug/dl. In drug naïve patients the mean serum trace element levels were zinc

59.20±18.44ug/dl, copper 121.70±20.90ug/dl and manganese 9.30±7.51ug/dl. The mean

serum levels of these trace elements in the control subjects were zinc 86.95±5.64ug/dl,

copper 96.41±8.10ug/dl and manganese 5.78±2.57ug/dl. In psychotics on drug the serum

zinc, copper and manganese concentration levels remained unchanged compared with the

control (p>0.05). The drug naïve patients showed significantly lower serum zinc level

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