White Blood Cell Proportions Are Associated With Response to Psychosocial Therapy in Young People at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis

Abstract

Background: White blood cell (WBC) counts, DNA methylation, and gene expression are reported to be associated with psychosis. However, it is not known whether these associations precede the onset of psychosis or whether they are relevant for the stratification of psychosis risk in clinically high-risk individuals. The STEP (Staged Treatment in Early Psychosis) clinical trial evaluated the effectiveness of a sequential intervention strategy for preventing psychosis in a cohort of young people at ultra-high risk (UHR) of psychosis. Participants were assessed for remission of UHR status after up to 6 months of treatment with psychosocial therapy. Methods: Cell-type proportions estimated from wh..