title: Neuroleptic effects on serine and glycine metabolism.
abstract: The concentrations of serine and glycine and the activity of serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) are abnormal in plasma and brains of schizophrenics. To further elucidate the possible role of neuroleptics on the metabolism of serine and glycine and the activity of SHMT, we studied the plasma of controls and schizophrenics on and off medications, the brains of rats treated with haloperidol, and the activity of purified SHMT in the presence or absence of haloperidol and fluphenazine. Plasmas of neuroleptic-treated schizophrenics had nonsignificantly lower concentrations of serine and glycine. Brains of haloperidol-treated rats had significantly lower concentrations of serine and glycine. At therapeutic levels haloperidol and fluphenazine did not inhibit the activity of purified SHMT. The serine-glycine lowering effects of haloperidol and neuroleptics are discussed in the context of a possible neuroprotective potential of neuroleptics in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baruah
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Waziri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sherman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D003600:Cytosol / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D005476:Fluphenazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005998:Glycine / Q000097:blood*; D012696:Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008930:Mitochondria, Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012694:Serine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D012694:Serine; C033563:haloperidol decanoate; D012696:Glycine Hydroxymethyltransferase; D006220:Haloperidol; D005476:Fluphenazine; D005998:Glycine