The Vitamins in Psychosis Study: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Effects of Vitamins B12, B6, and Folic Acid on Symptoms and Neurocognition in First-Episode Psychosis

K Allott; PD McGorry; HP Yuen; J Firth; TM Proffitt; G Berger; P Maruff; MK O'Regan; A Papas; TCB Stephens; CP O'Donnell

Journal article

The Vitamins in Psychosis Study: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Effects of Vitamins B12, B6, and Folic Acid on Symptoms and Neurocognition in First-Episode Psychosis

K Allott, PD McGorry, HP Yuen, J Firth, TM Proffitt, G Berger, P Maruff, MK O'Regan, A Papas, TCB Stephens, CP O'Donnell

Biological Psychiatry | ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC | Published : 2019

DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.12.018

Abstract

Background: Elevated homocysteine is observed in schizophrenia and associated with illness severity. The aim of this study was to determine whether vitamins B12, B6, and folic acid lower homocysteine and improve symptomatology and neurocognition in first-episode psychosis. Whether baseline homocysteine, genetic variation, sex, and diagnosis interact with B-vitamin treatment on outcomes was also examined. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was used. A total of 120 patients with first-episode psychosis were randomized to an adjunctive B-vitamin supplement (containing folic acid [5 mg], B12 [0.4 mg], and B6 [50 mg]) or placebo, taken once daily for 12 weeks. Coprimary..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Kelly Allott Author

Patrick McGorry Author

Hok Yuen Author

Paul Maruff Author

Related Projects (2)

MAPPING AND TREATING EARLY CLINICAL STAGES OF MENTAL DISORDERS DURING TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD

The research proposed in this Fellowship is aimed at young people with emerging mental ill-health. The specific goals and targets are to for..

UNDERSTANDING AND EFFECTIVELY TREATING COGNITIVE AND FUNCTIONING IMPAIRMENTS IN YOUTH WITH PSYCHOSIS AND OTHER MENTAL DISORDERS

Impaired thinking skills, such as memory, concentration and problem solving, emerge early in psychotic and other mental disorders, which has..

Grants

Awarded by Stanley Medical Research Institute

Funding Acknowledgements

This trial was supported by a Stanley Medical Research Institute grant (Grant No. 03T-472 [to CPO]). KA was supported by a Ronald Philip Griffiths Fellowship (Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences, The University of Melbourne) and a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Fellowship (No. 1141207). PDM was supported by an NHMRC Senior Principal Research Fellowship (No. 1060996). JF was supported by a Blackmores Institute Fellowship. T-MP was supported by the Colonial Foundation. These funding sources had no role in the study design; data collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; writing of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. The corresponding author (CPO) had full access to the data and had final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.