Plasma Essential Amino Acid Levels in First Episode Psychosis at Baseline and After Antipsychotic Treatment

The plasma levels of essential amino acids (EAA) such as phenylalanine (Phe), Trp, valine (Val), threonine (Thr), methionine (Met), leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile), lysine (Lys), and histidine (His) were measured in drug-naïve first episode psychosis (FEP) patients at diagnosis and after 10 weeks of antipsychotic treatment. Forty FEP patients were enrolled at baseline, with blood samples collected before and after a 10-week antipsychotic treatment period. Plasma EAA levels were measured using an LC/MS/MS method.