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Noradrenergic Overactivity in Chronic Schizophrenia: Evidence Based on Cerebrospinal Fluid Noradrenaline and Cyclic Nucleotide Concentrations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

U. C. R. Gomes ,
B. C. Shanley ,
L. Potgieter  and
J. T. Roux
U. C. R. Gomes
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Stellenbosch, P.O. Box 63, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
B. C. Shanley
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Pathology, University of Stellenbosch, P.O. Box 63, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
L. Potgieter
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, P.O. Box 63, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
J. T. Roux
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, P.O. Box 63, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa
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Summary

Concentrations of noradrenaline (NA), homovanillic acid, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and cyclic nucleotides were determined in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from acute and chronic schizophrenics and various groups of psychiatric and non-psychiatric control subjects. Statistically significant increases in NA and cyclic adenosine monophosphate were found in CSF from chronic schizophrenics compared to all other groups. These results were shown by statistical analyses to be unrelated to medication. They may be interpreted as evidence for noradrenergic overactivity as a possible primary abnormality in chronic schizophrenia.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 137 , Issue 4 , October 1980 , pp. 346 - 351
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1980 

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