Lower prolactin bioactivity in unmedicated schizophrenic patients. |
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Authors: | M D Warner A M Walker D C D'Souza D Lee D Nasseri C A Peabody |
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Affiliation: | Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. |
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Abstract: | In previous work, prolactin (PRL) abnormalities of a lower bioassay (BA) to radioimmunoassay (RIA) ratio were found in schizophrenic patients. This line of research was extended in seven male patients with schizophrenia who were neuroleptic-free; seven male control subjects were also studied. PRL values were assessed by RIA and Nb(2) BA techniques. The schizophrenic group had a significantly lower PRL BA as compared to normal controls and a lower PRL ratio of BA/RIA. The lower ratio is consistent with an earlier finding and suggests that schizophrenic patients have different molecular forms of PRL than control subjects. This difference could be due to a disordered tuberoinfundibular dopamine system or the long-term effects of neuroleptic medications. |
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