102 9. Neurochemistry, Clinical (p=0.01). Delayed responders had quantitatively (but not signifi- cantly) higher CSF bcl-2 values than controls (14.0 + 26.3 vs. 8.8 -+ 8.7) whereas non-responders' CSF bcl-2 values were significantly below that of controls (n=10) (3.4 -+ 1.6 vs. 8.8 -+8.7 ) (p<0.04). Dis- cussion: The data suggest that neuroprotection, as reflected by CSF bcl-2 levels, may be associated with augmented response to antipsy- chotic treatment. The various implications of the findings will be dis- cussed, including the possibility that increased bcl-2 levels may be a compensatory response to an active neurotoxic process in psy- chosis. PROGESTERONE ELEVATIONS RELATED TO SYMPTOM SEVERITY IN FIRST BREAK SCHIZOPHRENIA T. I. Prior,* S. E. Purdon Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada Progesterone elevations have been reported in chronic male patients with schizophrenia (Breier et al. 1992). The elevations could relate to prolonged duration and treatment of the illness, or they may be relevant to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. If the latter, we might anticipate high progesterone in first break patients, and a direct association between progesterone and the severity of the clinical syn- drome. We examined 13 men within the Edmonton Early Psychosis Intervention Clinic (EEPIC), all of whom were within 2 years of the SCID based diagnosis of schizophrenia. Relative to our laboratory cut-off scores, we observed a substantial sub-sample of patients (i.e. 62%) who had elevated progesterone. The subjects with high relative to low progesterone levels also exhibited more negative symptoms (PANSS=28.63_+7.56 versus PANSS=16.80_+4.15, t(11)=3.18, p=.009), as well as more positive symptoms (PANSS=23.25_+4.95 versus 16.80_+4.44, t(11)=2.37, p=.037). The presence of high prog- esterone levels early in the course of schizophrenia, as well as the direct association between progesterone levels and the severity of symptoms tends to support the relevance of neuroendocrine markers in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Breier A & Buchanan RW (1992). Life Sci, 51, 1527-34. RED CELL OMEGA 3 AND OMEGA 6 FATTY ACIDS IN RELATION TO SCHIZOTYPAL TRAITS IN HEALTHY ADULTS A. J. Richardson,* E. Cyhlarova Physiology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom Research has shown that many schizophrenia patients have reduced red cell membrane levels of key omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. The aim of this study was to find out whether blood levels of these fatty acids might vary as a function of schizotypal traits in non-psy- chotic individuals. Participants were 25 healthy adults (12 male, 13 female; mean age 32 +/- 8 years) free from any psychiatric history or current medication, who had taken no fatty acid supplements in the previous 6 months. All completed the OLIFE inventory of schizo- typal traits (1) and gave venous blood samples for analysis of fatty acid composition via gasdiquid chromatography. Relationships between schizotypy measures and red cell membrane fatty acids (as % of total phospholipids) were explored using correlational analyses. Higher concentrations of the major omega 6 fatty acid, AA (20:4n- 6) were associated with higher scores on the positive schizotypy scales Unusual Experiences, Cognitive Disorganisation and STA schizotypy (all p < 0.05), and similar associations were observed for Adrenic acid (22:4n-6). No omega 6 fatty acids were related to Impulsive Nonconformity, nor to the negative schizotypy dimension of Introvertive Anhedonia. Omega 3 fatty acid concentrations were also directly associated with scores on positive schizotypy measures, particularly Cognitive Disorganisation and STA schizotypy, for which correlations with ALA (18:3n-3), EPA (20:5n-3), DHA (22:6n-3) and the intermediate DPA (22:5n-3) were all significant (p < 0.05). Unusual Experiences correlated positively with both ALA and EPA, as did Impulsive Nonconformity with ALA; but Intro- vertive Anhedonia scores showed no associations with omega 3 fat- ty acid status. In summary, positive schizotypal traits in healthy adults appear to be associated with unusually high red cell membrane lev: els of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids. This finding is in contrast with the abnormally low levels often found in schizophrenia patients, but is perfectly consistent with the mounting evidence that these essential fats, and notably EPA, can be useful in the treatment of schizophrenic illness (2). (1) Mason O, Claridge G, Jackson M. (1995). New scales for the assessment of schizotypy. Person Individ Diff; 18: 7-13. (2) Richardson A J, Easton T, Puri BK. (2000). Red cell and plasma fatty acid changes accompanying symptom remission in a patient with schizophrenia treated with eicosapentaenoic acid. Eur Neuropsychopharm; 10:189-193. SCHIZOPHRENIA COMPRISES MEMBRANE DYSFUNCTION E Wiesel,* L. Bjerkenstedt, L. Flyckt, A. Forslund, B. Nilsson, R. Ohlsson, N. Venizelos Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, UPPSALA, Sweden A variety of pathophysiological findings have been reported in patients with schizophrenia. Membrane function is essential to cell biology and a slight change may be an underlying cause to observed findings in schizophrenics. Tyrosine transport across the fibroblast membrane and the blood brain barrier have been investigated in vit- ro with the cluster tray technique and in vivo with PET respectively. Tyrosine kinetics were calculated. Over all energy metabolism (BMR) was determined with indirect calorimetri and compared with standardised data (FAO/WHO/UNU). In the same subjects plasma fatty acids were determined with thin layer chromatography and gas chromatography. In all studies both healthy controls and patients with schizophrenia were investigated. Tyrosine transport kinetics as deter- mined in vitro showed that Vmax (maximal transport velocity) and Km (affinity of binding sites for tyrosine) were lowered in the patients. The PET results demonstrated a dysregulation of the intrans- port of tyrosine across the blood brain barrier. In the BMR investi- gations the patients were found to have a lower metabolism but only in men. There was a tendency of decreased polyunsaturated fatty acids in the patients. The changes of tyrosine kinetics in the patients support the view of a membrane dysfunction. There are two major transport systems for tyrosine the L- and A-systems. The former seemed to function properly but the A-system was probably dys- functional. The in vitro studies suggest a genetic trait as the changes were transmitted through several generations. A changed tyrosine transport might be explained by a polymorphism in the gene coding for the subtype ATA2 of the A-system. A disturbed tyrosine transport will influence dopamine biosynthesis. The lowered BMR could not be explained by deviations in diet or physical activity. The ion trans- port across the membrane is energy demanding which may be relat- ed to the changes in BMR. This result is of great interest not least in relation to brain glucose and spectroscopic findings in schizophrenia. Deviation in polyunsaturated fatty acids is also an indication of mem- brane dysfunction. The obtained results of tyrosine kinetics, BMR International Congress on Schizophrenia Research 2003