TY - JOUR
T1 - Clinical and Biochemical Effects of Verapamil Administration to Schizophrenic Patients
AU - Pickar, David
AU - Wolkowitz, Owen M.
AU - Doran, Allen R.
AU - Labarca, Rodrigo
AU - Roy, Alec
AU - Breier, Alan
AU - Narang, Prem K.
PY - 1987
Y1 - 1987
N2 - We administered verapamil hydrochloride, a calcium channel antagonist, to seven chronically ill schizophrenic patients for five weeks under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions. No therapeutic effect was noted. Worsening in hostile and uncooperative behaviors and a syndrome of heightened emotional tone was observed during verapamil treatment and during the postverapamil placebo period. Verapamil produced significant increases in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma levels of homovanillic acid and in plasma levels of prolactin, as well as significant decreases in plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol. Verapamil and its active metabolite, norverapamil, were partitioned into CSF with CSF/plasma ratios of 0.06 and 0.04, respectively. The lack of therapeutic effects of verapamil in schizophrenic patients differs from earlier reports of its usefulness in treating manic patients. The biochemical and clinical data from our study suggest the possibility that verapamil exerts behaviorally relevant central nervous system activity in schizophrenic patients.
AB - We administered verapamil hydrochloride, a calcium channel antagonist, to seven chronically ill schizophrenic patients for five weeks under double-blind, placebo-controlled conditions. No therapeutic effect was noted. Worsening in hostile and uncooperative behaviors and a syndrome of heightened emotional tone was observed during verapamil treatment and during the postverapamil placebo period. Verapamil produced significant increases in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma levels of homovanillic acid and in plasma levels of prolactin, as well as significant decreases in plasma levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenethyleneglycol. Verapamil and its active metabolite, norverapamil, were partitioned into CSF with CSF/plasma ratios of 0.06 and 0.04, respectively. The lack of therapeutic effects of verapamil in schizophrenic patients differs from earlier reports of its usefulness in treating manic patients. The biochemical and clinical data from our study suggest the possibility that verapamil exerts behaviorally relevant central nervous system activity in schizophrenic patients.
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U2 - 10.1001/archpsyc.1987.01800140015002
DO - 10.1001/archpsyc.1987.01800140015002
M3 - Article
C2 - 3545130
AN - SCOPUS:0023153488
SN - 0003-990X
VL - 44
SP - 113
EP - 118
JO - Archives of General Psychiatry
JF - Archives of General Psychiatry
IS - 2
ER -