1. The investigators plan to recruit 100 patients with schizophrenia and 100 healthy control subjects.
2. For the patients, diagnoses of schizophrenia will be confirmed using the Chinese version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). At the baseline and Week 12, patient blood samples will be obtained to measure the levels of neuroendocrine substrates (didehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, pregnenolone, and cortisol) and metabolite markers (lipid profiles, glycerate, eicosenoic acid, pyruvate, b-hydroxybutyrate, Cysteine). Cognitive function will be evaluated using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. The participants' clinical symptoms and daily activities will be assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Personal and Social Performance Scale.
3. For the healthy control subjects, psychiatric diagnoses will be verified using MINI, and blood samples will be obtained once to measure neuroendocrine and metabolite marker levels.
