The Relationship Between Leukocyte Telomere Length and Cognitive Function and Symptom Severity Among Batak Schizophrenia Patients.

Introduction: A number of studies have shown evidence of shortening of leukocyte telomere length in people with schizophrenia. Telomere shortening has been associated with acceleration of the biological aging process of body cells, decreased cognitive function, and increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases and malignancies. The study aimed to assess the relationship between leukocyte telomere length and cognitive function and symptom severity in people with schizophrenia from the Batak tribe. Method: This research is an analytical study with a cross-sectional design using numerical correlative tests. Sampling for research subjects was carried out at the Regional Mental Hospital Prof. dr. M. Ildrem Medan. The leukocyte telomere length analysis examination was carried out at the Prodia Private Clinical Laboratory in Medan City. This research was carried out for 6 months, starting from January to June 2023. Results: The study included 85 people with schizophrenia from the Batak tribe who were seeking treatment at Rumah Sakit Jiwa Prof. M. Ildrem Medan. Subjects were predominantly male (80%) with a mean age of 30.38 years (SD: 3.2), median age of 30 years (25-35). In cognitive function, the mean MoCA-Ina score was 17.33 (SD: 5.4). Regarding the severity of schizophrenia symptoms, the mean PANSS score was 48.87 (SD: 9.73). The results of the leukocyte telomere length examination showed that the mean T/S β-globin measurement ratio was 0.92 (SD: 0.04), while the mean B4AU T/S measurement ratio was 0.99 (SD: 0.05). There was no significant relationship between leukocyte telomere length and cognitive function (p>0.05). A significant relationship was found between leukocyte telomere length and the severity of schizophrenia symptoms, both for the β-globin T/S measurement ratio (p=0.034, r=-0.23) and for the B4AU T/S measurement ratio (p=0.037, r= -0.227). The results of this study are in line with a number of previous studies which stated that there is a relationship between the severity of symptoms in schizophrenia and the length of leukocyte telomeres. Conclusion: The shorter the telomeres, the higher the severity of the symptoms and vice versa. This study also shows the possible role of telomere length analysis as a biomarker in assessing the course of the disease and prognosis in people with schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]