Platelet serotonin concentrations in medicated schizophrenic patients.
1. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of neuroleptic administration on platelet serotonin (5-HT) levels, and the relationships between platelet 5-HT levels, extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) and psychopathology in schizophrenia. 2. The subjects were 49 regularly medicated inpatients who were diagnosed according to the DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia. Each patient gave informed consent for the research involved in this study. All patients were first considered as one group and then divided into two groups: those with lower levels (LL) and those with higher levels (HL), according to their platelet 5-HT levels. Psychotic symptoms and EPS were assessed using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Drug Induced Extra-Pyramidal Symptoms Scale, respectively. 3. (1) The mean level of the platelet 5-HT in the schizophrenics with neuroleptic-treatment was significantly lower than that in the normal subjects. (2) The mean level of the blood monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the schizophrenics tended to be lower than that in the normal subjects. (3) There was no significant difference in the mean scores of the positive symptoms, negative symptoms, or EPS between the LL and HL groups. (4) Platelet 5-HT levels were not correlated with blood MAO concentrations. 4. Overall, these results seem to indicate that (i) administration of neuroleptics lowers platelet 5-HT levels, and (ii) platelet 5-HT levels in the schizophrenics with neuroleptic-treatment do not reflect psychopathology of schizophrenia or severity of neuroleptic-induced EPS.
Kaneda
Y
Y
Department of Neuropsychiatry, The University of Tokushima School of Medicine, Japan. kaneday@clin.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp
Fujii
A
A
Nagamine
I
I
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000097:blood; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase