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Prostaglandins and schizophrenia: further discussion of the evidence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

D. F. Horrobin ,
A. I. Ally ,
R. A. Karmali ,
M. Karmazyn ,
M. S. Manku  and
R. O. Morgan
D. F. Horrobin*
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Institute, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada
A. I. Ally
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Institute, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada
R. A. Karmali
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Institute, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada
M. Karmazyn
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Institute, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada
M. S. Manku
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Institute, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada
R. O. Morgan
Affiliation:
Clinical Research Institute, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr D. F. Horrobin, Clinical Research Institute, 110 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, Canada.
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Synopsis

It has been proposed that schizophrenia is a prostaglandin-deficiency disease and also that it is a disease of prostaglandin excess. New evidence is reviewed which suggests that ‘classic’ schizophrenia is due to a specific deficiency of prostaglandin E1 while certain toxic and vitamindeficiency psychoses may be due to a broader spectrum of prostaglandin deficiency. There is also good evidence that a particular schizophrenic subgroup, which includes catatonic schizophrenia but may not be confined to it, is associated with an excess of prostaglandins. Part of the explanation may be that prostaglandin E1 has a ‘bell-shaped’ dose-response curve with high concentrations having effects similar to those of prostaglandin deficiency.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , February 1978 , pp. 43 - 48
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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