Study record
Neural cell-derived plasma exosome protein abnormalities implicate mitochondrial impairment in first episodes of psychosis
Goetzl EJ, Srihari VH, Guloksuz S et al. · FASEB J · 2021
What this study reported
Measured mitochondrial proteins in plasma neural-derived extracellular vesicles and found lower MOTS-c and humanin levels in people with first-episode psychosis than in matched controls, alongside lower mitofusin 2 and cyclophilin D. MOTS-c was one of many mitochondrial proteins quantified rather than the study's main focus.
Limitations
Very small sample with ten participants per group, cross-sectional design, and no correction described for multiple comparisons across the many proteins measured; extracellular-vesicle protein levels are an indirect proxy for neural mitochondrial status.
Study record
| Study model | Human observational |
|---|---|
| Substance studied | Endogenous MOTS-c measuredNaturally occurring MOTS-c was measured; nothing was given. |
| Species | human |
| System studied | Plasma neuron-derived and astrocyte-derived extracellular vesicles from people with first-episode psychosis and matched controls |
| Population | adults with first-episode psychosis and matched psychiatrically normal controls |
| Design | Case-control study |
| Sample size as reported | 20 participants (10 first-episode psychosis, 10 controls) |
| Control group | ten matched psychiatrically normal controls |
| Route (data field only) | Not reported |
| Endpoints measured | exosomal MOTS-c; exosomal humanin; mitochondrial ATP synthase activity; mitofusin 2; cyclophilin D |
| Pathways measured | Other |
| Research areas | Nervous system · Mitochondrial biology |
| Evidence tier | B — Other human study |
| Publication types | Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural |
Appraisal
Each dimension is recorded separately and never combined into a single score. A study can be well controlled and still tell you little about people.
- Relevance to MOTS-c
- Peripheral
- Model applicability
- Human
- Sample size
- Small
- Controls
- Appropriate
- Outcome validity
- Exploratory
- Support for its own conclusion
- Weak
Provenance
- Bibliographic fields retrieved from PubMed E-utilities efetch (title, journal, date, authors, DOI) on 2026-11-11.
- Annotated from the published abstract.
- Editorial review: approved (2026-11-11).
- Classification follows the site methodology; the record describes the study, not what MOTS-c does in people.