Correlation Between Verbal Auditory Hallucinations And Serum Prolactin And Serum Testosterone Levels In Patients With First-episode Schizophrenia

Objective:The relationship between verbal auditory hallucinations(AVHs)and serum prolactin(PRL)levels and serum testosterone levels in untreated first-episode schizophrenia(FES)patients is rarely reported at home and abroad.This study will systematically explore whether there is a correlation between the total PSYRATS-AH auditory hallucinations score and the AVHs scores of each dimension and their serum PRL and serum testosterone levels,respectively,in untreated FES patients to provide data support for revealing the relationship between abnormal sex hormones and their AVHs in FES patients.Methods:A total of 153 untreated FES patients(13 years old≤age≤45 years old)who met the diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia in the fifth edition of the American Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5)were selected as the research subjects.All subjects were evaluated using the Psychiatric Symptom Rating Scale-Hearing Hallucinations Subscale(PSYRATS-AH).According to the evaluation results,the subjects divided into groups with AVHs(n=104)and groups without AVHs(n=49),the general demographic data of the two groups of subjects were collected,the fasting venous blood of the two groups of patients was collected,and the serum PRL and serum testosterone levels were detected.SPSS 24.0 software was used for statistical analysis to compare the general demographic data,serum PRL levels and serum testosterone levels between the two groups.It was found that the serum PRL level and serum testosterone level of the untreated FES patients in the AVHs group were higher than those in the non-AVHs group(P<0.05).To further understand the relationship between verbal auditory hallucinations(AVHs)and their serum prolactin(PRL)and serum testosterone levels in untreated FES patients,the patients in the AVHs group were stratified by age(13 years ≤ youth group < 18 years old,18 years old ≤ adult group ≤ 45 years old),combined with gender factors,divided into adolescent male group,adolescent female group,adult male group and adult female group.The PSYRATS-AH total score of auditory hallucinations,AVHs dimension scores,serum PRL levels and serum testosterone levels were compared in the four groups of untreated FES patients.Partial correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between the total score of PSYRATS-AH auditory hallucinations,physical characteristics,emotional characteristics and cognitive interpretation characteristics of AVHs in untreated FES patients in the AVHs group and their serum PRL and serum testosterone levels.Results:(1)The serum PRL level and serum testosterone level of the untreated FES patients in the AVHs group were higher than those in the non-AVHs group(P<0.05);(2)The total score of PSYRATS-AH auditory hallucinations and the scores of emotional characteristics and cognitive interpretation of AVHs in adolescent female patients with AVHs without treatment with FES were higher than those in adult female group(P<0.05);(3)Partial correlation analysis found that the total score of PSYRATS-AH auditory hallucinations(r=0.586,P=0.007)and the emotional characteristics(r=0.511,P=0.021),cognitive interpretation(r=-0.546,P=0.007)of AVHs dimension scores were positively correlated with serum PRL levels in the adolescent females with AVHs in untreated FES patients;(4)Partial correlation analysis found that the total score of PSYRATS-AH auditory hallucinations(r=-0.579,P=0.004),and the three dimension scores of physical characteristics of AVHs(r=-0.583,P=0.004),emotional characteristics(r=-0.460,P=0.027),cognitive interpretation(r=-0.546,P=0.007)of adolescent males with AVHs in untreated FES patients were negatively correlated with serum testosterone levels.Conclusion:(1)The higher the PSYRATS-AH total score of auditory hallucinations and the emotional characteristics and cognitive interpretation of AVHs in adolescent female FES patients with AVHs,the higher the serum PRL level.(2)The higher the PSYRATS-AH total score of auditory hallucinations and the three dimensions of AVHs physical characteristics,emotional characteristics,and cognitive interpretation of adolescent male FES patients with AVHs,the lower the serum testosterone level.