Plasma homovanillic acid levels and subtyping of schizophrenia.
Plasma levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), a major metabolite of dopamine, were measured in a group of 24 schizophrenic inpatients before and during 6 weeks of haloperidol (HAL) treatment. Steady-state plasma HAL levels were measured in parallel with plasma HVA. Differential plasma HVA responses to HAL treatment were found between good and poor outcome patients. The two groups did not differ significantly in plasma HAL levels. Two hypothetical subtypes of schizophrenia are proposed.
Chang
W H
WH
Department of Adult Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taiwan, ROC.
Chen
T Y
TY
Lee
C F
CF
Hung
J C
JC
Hu
W H
WH
Yeh
E K
EK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000145:classification* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D006220:Haloperidol; D006719:Homovanillic Acid