Glutamate in schizophrenics and healthy controls.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glutamate levels were measured in 28 paranoid schizophrenic patients and 15 healthy individuals. From the 28 patients 15 were treated with neuroleptic drugs and 13 did not take any drugs. No significant difference was found between glutamate in patients without neuroleptics and controls. However, CSF glutamate was significantly higher in patients taking neuroleptics than in controls (P less than 0.001) or in patients without neuroleptics (P less than 0.01). This and other data from the literature indicate that enhanced levels of cerebral glutamate may be significant for the antipsychotic efficacy of neuroleptic drugs.
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid