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Science 22 September 1972:
Vol. 177. no. 4054, pp. 1124 - 1126
DOI: 10.1126/science.177.4054.1124
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Articles

Behavioral Changes of Chronic Schizophrenic Patients Given L-5-Hydroxytryptophan

Richard J. Wyatt 1, Thomas Vaughan 1, Marc Galanter 1, Jonathan Kaplan 1, and Richard Green 1

1 Laboratory of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Division of Special Mental Health Research. National Institute of Mental Health. Saint Elizabeths Hospital, Washington, D.C. 20032

Oral administration of the serotonin precursor L-5-hydroxytryptophan with a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor produced Mild to moderate improvement in six of seven chronic undifferentiated schizophrenic patients who were resistant to phenothiazine treatment, as compared to an oral administration of a placebo. Two of four chronic paranoid schizophrenic patients who were resistant to phenothiazine treatment became worse with 5-hydroxytryptophan, one improved. It is presumed that these psychological changes were directly or indirectly produced from increases in brain serotonin. Indirect data from animals and humans indicate that there may be an abnormality in serotonin metabolism in some schizophrenics. While our data are consistent with this hypothesis, other explanations for our data must be entertained.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
m-Chlorophenylpiperazine Effects in Neuroleptic-Free Schizophrenic Patients: Evidence Implicating Serotonergic Systems in the Positive Symptoms of Schizophrenia.
J. H. Krystal, J. P. Seibyl, L. H. Price, S. W. Woods, G. R. Heninger, G. K. Aghajanian, and D. S. Charney (1993)
Arch Gen Psychiatry 50, 624-635
   Abstract »    PDF »
Partial REM Sleep Deprivation, Schizophrenia and Field Articulation.
J. C. Gillin, M. S. Buchsbaum, L. S. Jacobs, D. H. Fram, R. B. Williams Jr., T. B. Vaughan Jr., E. Mellon, F. Snyder, and R. J. Wyatt (1974)
Arch Gen Psychiatry 30, 653-662
   Abstract »    PDF »
Tolerance and Dependence to Serotonin: A Speculation.
R. J. Wyatt, J. Kaplan, and T. Vaughan (1973)
Arch Gen Psychiatry 29, 597-599
   Abstract »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)