Multidimensional analysis of the concentrations of 17 substances in the CSF of schizophrenics and controls.
The concentrations of 17 substances were determined in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 28 paranoid schizophrenic patients and 16 controls. Results were standardized and simultaneously evaluated through Multidimensional Scaling (MDS). The full data set can be considered as a cloud of points consisting of the 44 subjects in the 17-dimensional parameter space. MDS seeks a two-dimensional representation of this 17-dimensional cloud of points, while retaining as much as possible the distances between the subjects. The two-dimensional reduction of the 17 CSF parameters correctly separated 15 of 16 controls from the schizophrenic subjects. This indicates that a biological heterogeneity between schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic subjects can be detected by the simultaneous analysis of the CSF concentrations of substances related directly or indirectly to the neuronal activity in the brain.
Beckmann
H
H
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Federal Republic of Germany. beckmann@mail.uni-wuerzburg.de
Gattaz
W F
WF
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012016:Reference Values; D012563:Schizophrenia, Paranoid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents