title: Improvement of schizophrenic symptoms and changes in plasma HVA concentrations, plasma anti-D2 and anti-5-HT2 receptor activities with clozapine.
abstract: In order to investigate the biological mechanisms underlying the clinical efficacy of clozapine, 200 mg/day of clozapine was added to the drug regimens of 19 patients with chronic, anti-psychotic-resistant schizophrenia, and the plasma homovanillic acid (HVA), clozapine concentrations, anti-dopamine D2 and anti-serotonin 5-HT2 receptor activities were measured. After 28 days, six patients showed an improvement of more than 20% over baseline Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores. Mean plasma HVA concentrations and anti-D2 receptor activities did not change significantly in the entire group or in the six patients showing improvement. However, anti-5-HT2 receptor activities increased significantly in all 19 patients. Changes in BPRS scores did not correlate significantly with changes in plasma HVA or with changes in clozapine concentrations, or with anti-D2 and anti-5-HT2 receptor activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanba
authors.forename: Z C
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Y Y
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nibuya
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Asai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003024:Clozapine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011869:Radioligand Assay; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D003024:Clozapine; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid