TY - JOUR
T1 - Longitudinal Measurement of Plasma Homovanillic Acid Levels in Schizophrenic Patients
T2 - Correlation With Psychosis and Response to Neuroleptic Treatment
AU - Pickar, David
AU - Labarca, Rodrigo
AU - Doran, Allen R.
AU - Wolkowitz, Owen M.
AU - Roy, Alec
AU - Breier, Alan
AU - Linnoila, Markku
AU - Paul, Steven M.
PY - 1986
Y1 - 1986
N2 - The plasma levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), a major circulating dopamine (DA) metabolite, were measured in schizophrenic patients during five weeks each of double-blind placebo-controlled neuroleptic treatment (N =16) and withdrawal (N =11). Both neuroleptic treatment and withdrawal were associated with time-dependent changes in the plasma levels of HVA; treatment was associated with decreases and withdrawal with increases. The levels of plasma HVA measured longitudinally during both conditions were highly correlated with psychosis ratings. Moreover, changes in individual mean weekly levels of plasma HVA were predictive of treatment response, including changes in both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. These data are consistent with the suggestion that the mechanisms of action of antipsychotic drugs involve, in addition to short-term DA receptor blockade, a slowly developing decrease in presynaptic DA activity.
AB - The plasma levels of homovanillic acid (HVA), a major circulating dopamine (DA) metabolite, were measured in schizophrenic patients during five weeks each of double-blind placebo-controlled neuroleptic treatment (N =16) and withdrawal (N =11). Both neuroleptic treatment and withdrawal were associated with time-dependent changes in the plasma levels of HVA; treatment was associated with decreases and withdrawal with increases. The levels of plasma HVA measured longitudinally during both conditions were highly correlated with psychosis ratings. Moreover, changes in individual mean weekly levels of plasma HVA were predictive of treatment response, including changes in both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. These data are consistent with the suggestion that the mechanisms of action of antipsychotic drugs involve, in addition to short-term DA receptor blockade, a slowly developing decrease in presynaptic DA activity.
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U2 - 10.1001/archpsyc.1986.01800070059008
DO - 10.1001/archpsyc.1986.01800070059008
M3 - Article
C2 - 3718170
AN - SCOPUS:0022620254
SN - 0003-990X
VL - 43
SP - 669
EP - 676
JO - Archives of General Psychiatry
JF - Archives of General Psychiatry
IS - 7
ER -