Serum calcium and magnesium in schizophrenia: relationship to clinical phenomena and neuroleptic treatment.
Serum calcium and magnesium were studied in drug-free and neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients. Calcium and magnesium were not significantly different in 31 unmedicated schizophrenic patients compared with normal controls. Serum calcium was altered, however, in two subgroups: (1) Patients who remitted after neuroleptic withdrawal were significantly lower in calcium than those who did not remit; (2) catatonic schizophrenic patients appeared to have an increased calcium at the onset of catatonic stupor. Patients treated with pimozide were found to have a significant decreased in both calcium and magnesium compared with their drug-free values. These same patients showed a similar decrease in both electrolytes during treatment with fluphenazine, a structurally different neuroleptic drug.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014149:Tranquilizing Agents; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium