title: Does treating schizophrenia reduce the chances of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?
abstract: The development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the relatively common psychiatric disorder schizophrenia is very rare. This observation has been made by us and a number of other neuromuscular specialists at large ALS centers. We propose that the use of neuroleptics and some antidepressants, which are chronically prescribed to schizophrenics and which have neuroprotective properties and some of which promote neurogenesis, may confer protection against this deadly neurodegenerative disease ALS. Such an observation may have important implications towards the therapy and understanding the pathophysiology of this deadly neurodegenerative disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Section of Neurology, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA. elijah.w.stommel@hitchcock.org
authors.forename: Elijah W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Stommel
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Graber
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Montanye
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Brent T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D015995:Prevalence; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents