title: Serum homovanillic acid levels in schizophrenic patients and normal control subjects.
abstract: Schizophrenic patients with an early age at onset of illness had low baseline levels of homovanillic acid (HVA) in serum compared with schizophrenic patients with a late age at onset. After adjustments were made for age at onset, there was a significant partial correlation between positive symptoms and serum HVA. The relationship between positive symptom scores and serum HVA was shifted to the left in the early onset patients, suggesting a relatively increased sensitivity of dopamine-associated response. Patients with severe negative symptoms also had an earlier age at onset and a trend toward lower serum HVA. This study found no difference between mean serum HVA values in schizophrenic patients and normal control subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Dallas, TX.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Steinberg
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Garver
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Moeller
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Raese
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Orsulak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D006719:Homovanillic Acid