Serum calcium and magnesium levels in schizophrenia. II. Possible relationship to extrapyramidal symptoms.

The relationship between serum calcium and magnesium levels and neuroleptic-induced extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) was studied in schizophrenic patients. The 16 patients in whom EPS developed had a significantly lower mean drug-free calcium level than the six patients in whom EPS did not develop. In patients in whom EPS developed, drug-free serum calcium and magnesium levels together correlated significantly with the neuroleptic dosage at which EPS first developed; lower calcium and magnesium values predicted EPS at lower dosages. We have previously shown that both serum calcium and magnesium levels were significantly lower during neuroleptic treatment than in the drug-free state. In this study, a similar trend was observed, but the calcium value tended to be, and the magnesium value was significantly lower at the onset of neuroleptic-induced EPS than during the mean of an entire pimozide trial.     

Lack of behavioral supersensitivity to d-amphetamine after pimozide withdrawal. A trial with schizophrenic patients

The dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia claims that increased dopamine activity underlies psychotic behavior. This hypothesis gets major support from the reported d-amphetamine-induced worsening of psychosis, because amphetamine increases dopamine activity in the brain. Dopamine receptor supersensitivity has been shown to be present in animals during the postneuroleptic period. In this study the postulated relationships between psychotic decompensation as observed after d-amphetamine infusion and the dopamine receptor supersensitivity expected to be present during the neuroleptic withdrawal period were examined. Twenty milligrams of d-amphetamine administered intravenously did not cause a stronger psychotogenic effect in 12 schizophrenic patients. One week after discontinuation of pimozide treatment, the d-amphetamine-induced change as indicated by the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) paranoid disturbance cluster score, was not significantly different from the response to a similar infusion during the drug-free state. Unexpectedly, the increase in the BPRS mannerisms and posturing item and in the pulse rate response to d-amphetamine were decreased. These results raise questions about the role of dopamine in d-amphetamine effects and suggest postneuroleptic dopamine receptor subsensitivity. They challenge a simple dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia.     

The switch process in manic-depressive illness

Research data collected on 75 Bipolar I patients, hospitalized at the NIMH between 1963 and 1975, were reviewed to identify “switches” into and out of mania. There were 27 “slow” switches (i.e. occurring over a period of 2–6 days) in 14 patients and 89 “rapid” switches (i.e. occurring in 24 hours or less) in 35 patients. No patient showed both “rapid” and “slow” switches during his hospitalization. Among the 89 rapid switches, 52 switches were into mania and 37 were out of mania. Rapid switches into and out of mania occurred significantly more often in the morning (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.) than at night (11 p.m. to 7 a.m.) or in the evening (3 p.m. to 11 p.m.). Estimated average sleep time on the night prior to switch into mania showed a significant drop as compared to sleep time on the second, third and fourth nights prior to switch. Patients who switched into mania at night were rated as significantly more manic during the 4 days following the switch than patients who switched in the morning or evening. Patients who switched into mania at night and evening were rated as sleeping significantly less during the 4 days following the switch than patients who switched in the morning.     

氯喹对烟雾吸入伤大鼠肺细胞膜ATP酶活性和丙二醛含量的影响

目的：探讨氯喹对烟雾吸入伤大鼠肺细胞膜ＡＴＰ酶活性及丙二醛含量的影响,方法：８０只Ｗｉｓｔａｒ大鼠随机分成正常对照组,烟雾吸入伤１,３,６,１２和２４ｈ组以及氯喹治疗６ｈ和１２ｈ组,分别于各时相点活杀动物,取肺制备膜制剂,用生化比色法测定膜上Ｎａ＾＋,Ｋ＾＋－ＡＴＰ酶Ｍｇ＾２＋－ＡＴＰ酶和Ｃａ＾２＋－ＡＴＰ酶活性,用比色法测定膜上丙醛含量,并用定磷法测定膜总磷脂含量,结果：烟雾吸入伤后,肺细胞膜３     

Striatal tachykinin biosynthesis: regulation of mRNA and peptide levels by dopamine agonists and antagonists

The effects of dopamine agonists and antagonists on rat basal ganglia substance P, substance K, and preprotachykinin mRNA were examined. Chronic administration of the prototypical dopamine antagonist haloperidol decreased striatal preprotachykinin mRNA and nigral tachykinin peptides. Chronic treatment with the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist L-sulpiride (but not the inactive D-isomer) mimicked the effect of haloperidol. In contrast, the atypical neuroleptic clozapine did not decrease tachykinin mRNA or peptides. The potent indirect dopamine agonist methamphetamine rapidly increased preprotachykinin mRNA, substance P, and substance K although the direct agonist apomorphine was without effect. Methamphetamine-stimulated changes in preprotachykinin mRNA were prevented by prior haloperidol administration. These data demonstrate that alterations in dopaminergic transmission significantly alter striatonigral tachykinin biosynthesis in vivo.