The side effects of antimalarial drugs indicates a polyamine involvement in both schizophrenia and depression

The nature of the side effects produced by the antimalarials and a common moiety present in these drugs (spermidine) links the polyamines to both schizophrenia and depression. The raised incidence of psychosis in systemic lupus erythematosus and during pregnancy both associated with raised blood polyamine levels, makes the involvement of the polyamines in psychosis more likely.