Blood biomarkers of Hikikomori, a severe social withdrawal syndrome

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-21260-w
• Publication Date: 2018-02-07T10:18:46Z
• Authors: Kohei Hayakawa; Takahiro A. Kato; Motoki Watabe; Alan R. Teo; Hideki Horikawa; Nobuki Kuwano; Norihiro Shimokawa; Mina Sato-Kasai; Hiroaki Kubo; Masahiro Ohgidani; Noriaki Sagata; Hiroyuki Toda; Masaru Tateno; Naotaka Shinfuku; Junji Kishimoto; Shigenobu Kanba
• Keywords: Social withdrawal

Abstract Hikikomori , a severe form of social withdrawal syndrome, is growing issue in Japan and internationally. The pathophysiology hikikomori has not yet been elucidated an effective treatment remains to be established. Recently, we revealed that avoidant personality disorder the most common comorbidity hikikomori. Thus, have postulated underpinning First, herein show relationships between traits, blood biomarkers, hikikomori-related psychological features, behavioural characteristics assessed by trust game non-hikikomori volunteers. Avoidant traits were negatively associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) uric acid (UA) men, positively fibrin degeneration products (FDP) high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) women. Next, recruited actual individuals hikikomori, compared features age-matched healthy controls. Individuals had higher scores both sexes, showed lower serum UA levels men HDL-C women This first report showing possible biomarkers for opens door clarify underlying biological