Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. In a very small study, withdrawal of gluten from the diet produced significant improvements in Schizophrenia symptoms.
Although schizophrenia is characterized by altered brain function, research has started to suggest that an altered digestive system can affect brain function, specifically that celiac disease (an inflammation of the celiac portion of the digestive system due to gluten consumption) can be a trigger for schizophrenia. But studies examining a gluten-free diet and schizophrenia symptoms have yielded results ranging from complete resolution of schizophrenia symptoms (1, 2, 3) to very little changes in symptoms (4).
Why the discrepancy in results? Well, it may have been due to the schizophrenia patients having differing blood make-ups, specifically the presence or absence of antibodies to a protein called anti-tTG (anti-tissue transglutaminase) and whether the patients are gluten-sensitive (5, 6). When patients are gluten-sensitive and have antibodies to anti-tTG, eating gluten sets off a chain reaction where the body becomes severely inflamed, affecting brain function and producing schizophrenia symptoms.
In a very small study of 2 schizophrenia patients (7), withdrawal of gluten from the diet produced “robust improvements” in schizophrenia symptoms, including “notable” improvements in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. Even more encouraging was that the diet was easily maintained although “it is recognized that much education would be needed to help patients understand the importance of a GFD and the gluten content of food and snacks.”
As one in four schizophrenia patients are thought to be both gluten-sensitive and possess antibodies to anti-tTG (8) “this potential mechanism is exciting and may provide improvement for up to one-fourth of [antibody-positive patients] who suffer from schizophrenia.” For the researchers, “The data shows that a gluten-free diet can be maintained in individuals with schizophrenia with no negative effects on behavior or attitude and no need for medication changes.”
Source: Jackson, Jessica, et al. “A gluten-free diet in people with schizophrenia and anti-tissue transglutaminase or anti-gliadin antibodies.” Schizophrenia research 140 (2012): 262.
© 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Posted July 15, 2014.
References:
- Jansson B, Kristjansson E, Nilsson L. Schizophrenic psychosis disappearing after patient is given gluten-free diet. Lakartidningen. 1984; 81 (6):448–449
- De Santis A, Addolorato G, Romito A, Caputo S, Giordano A, Gambassi G, Taranto C, Manna R, Gasbarrini G. Schizophrenic symptoms and SPECT abnormalities in a coeliac patient: regression after a gluten-free diet. J Intern Med. 1997; 242 (5):421–423
- Kraft BD, Westman EC. Schizophrenia, gluten, and low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diets: a case report and review of the literature. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2009; 6:10
- Kalaydjian AE, Eaton W, Cascella N, Fasano A. The gluten connection: the association between schizophrenia and celiac disease. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2006; 113 (2):82–90
- Dickerson F, Stallings C, Origoni A, Vaughan C, Khushalani S, Leister F, Yang S, Krivogorsky B, Alaedini A, Yolken R. Markers of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease in recent-onset psychosis and multi-episode schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 2010; 68 (1):100–104
- Jin SZ, Wu N, Xu Q, Zhang X, Ju GZ, Law MH, Wei J. A study of circulating gliadin antibodies in schizophrenia among a Chinese population. Schizophr Bull. 2012; 38 (3):514–518
- Jackson J. A gluten-free diet in people with schizophrenia and anti-tissue transglutaminase or anti-gliadin antibodies. Schizophr Res 2012 Sep;140(1-3):262-3. doi: 10.1016/j.schres.2012.06.011. Epub 2012 Jul 7
- Cascella NG, Kryszak D, Bhatti B, Gregory P, Kelly DL, Mc Evoy JP, Fasano A, Eaton WW. Prevalence of celiac disease and gluten sensitivity in the United States clinical antipsychotic trials of intervention effectiveness study population. Schizophr Bull. 2011; 37 (1):94–100
