Plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol and homovanillic acid measurements in deficit and nondeficit forms of schizophrenia.
BACKGROUND
Discrepancies in the biochemical research on negative symptoms in schizophrenia may be ascribed to the lack of differentiation into primary and secondary negative symptoms. We have used Carpenter's criteria to define the deficit syndrome of schizophrenia as the presence of enduring and primary negative symptoms and measured catecholaminergic parameters in deficit as compared with nondeficit schizophrenics.


METHODS
We have investigated plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (pMHPG) concentrations in 34 DSM-III-R neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients who were classified into deficit (n = 14) and nondeficit (n = 20) forms of schizophrenia. All these patients were in a stable clinical and therapeutic status for the preceding 12 months.


RESULTS
The 14 deficit schizophrenic patients had lower plasma levels of pHVA and higher plasma concentrations of pMHPG from 9 AM to 12 AM as compared with the 20 nondeficit schizophrenic patients. The two groups did not differ on any demographic, therapeutic, or clinical variable considered.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data are consistent with the postulated distinct pathophysiological basis for the deficit syndrome of schizophrenia and suggest that opposite alterations in the pHVA or pMHPG levels may reflect specific changes in noradrenergic and dopaminergic functions in these deficit patients.
Thibaut
F
F
Groupe de Recherche Psychopathologie et Schizophrénies, Universités de Médecine de Rouen et Caen, Centre Hospitalier du Rouvray, France.
Ribeyre
J M
JM
Dourmap
N
N
Ménard
J F
JF
Dollfus
S
S
Petit
M
M
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid