Gut virome alterations in schizophrenia: identifying viral biomarkers associated with schizophrenia and treatment response

Background

The gut virome is an important component of the microbiome with potential implications for schizophrenia. However, its role in disease pathology and treatment response remains unclear.

Methods

We performed metagenomic sequencing on fecal samples from 49 first-episode schizophrenia patients and 49 healthy controls. Viral diversity and taxonomic profiles were compared between groups. Within patients, we assessed associations between viral alpha diversity and symptom severity, as well as between specific viral taxa and treatment outcomes, including short- and long-term PANSS reduction and response trajectories. Response trajectories were identified by clustering patients based on the longitudinal PANSS reduction patterns.

Results

There were no significant differences in alpha diversity between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls. Among patients, higher viral diversity was associated with more severe negative symptoms. Although several viral taxa showed nominal associations with schizophrenia, none remained significant after FDR correction. Regarding treatment outcomes, the abundance of Brigitvirus was negatively associated with the 6-week symptom reduction rate (FDR = 0.012), and two viral species were reduced in the low-response trajectory group.

Conclusions

Although virome differences between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls were modest, associations between viral features and both symptom severity and treatment response indicate potential clinical relevance.