BDNF and schizophrenia: Furthermore, AN-FEP is accompanied by (a) lowered expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1), and ribonuclease III or double-stranded (ds) RNA-specific endoribonuclease (DROSHA) which exert neurotrophic, neuroprotective, and neurogenic functions and modulate microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis [9,10], and (b) lowered activity of paraoxonase (PON)-1, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-microbial properties [11].