title: Histamine metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with chronic schizophrenia: their relationships to levels of other aminergic transmitters and ratings of symptoms.
abstract: Levels of the histamine metabolites, tele-methylhistamine (t-MH) and tele-methylimidazoleacetic acid (t-MIAA), and metabolites of other aminergic transmitters and of norepinephrine were measured in cerebrospinal fluid of 36 inpatients with chronic schizophrenia and eight controls. The mean t-MH level from controls was nearly identical to the levels seen previously in healthy volunteers. Compared with controls, the mean level of t-MH in the schizophrenic patients was 2.6-fold higher (p = 0.006); 21 of the patients had levels exceeding the range of controls. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in levels of other analytes, although the levels of t-MH correlated significantly with those of t-MIAA, homovanillic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, norepinephrine, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid. The difference in levels of t-MH were not attributable to medication, since those taking (n = 10) or withdrawn from (n = 26) neuroleptic drugs had nearly the same mean levels of t-MH; each group had higher levels than controls (ANOVA: p < 0.05). Patients with or without tardive dyskinesia showed no significant differences in means of any analyte. Only levels of t-MH among those with schizophrenia correlated with positive symptom scores on the Psychiatric Symptom Assessment Scale (rs = 0.45, p < 0.02). The elevated levels of t-MH in cerebrospinal fluid, which represent histamine that was released and metabolized, suggest increased central histaminergic activity in patients with chronic schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, NY 10029.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Prell
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Khandelwal
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Morrishow
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kirch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linnoila
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wyatt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004409:Dyskinesia, Drug-Induced / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008761:Methylhistamines / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001679:Biogenic Amines; D007093:Imidazoles; D008761:Methylhistamines; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; C002667:methylimidazoleacetic acid; D006632:Histamine; C020404:tele-methylhistamine; D009638:Norepinephrine