Plasma cyclic nucleotide responses to psychological stress in patients with schizophrenia

Abstract

The plasma level of cyclic nucleotides [cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)] h, humans increases in response to exercise (Lin 1978; Okada et al 1980), to several hormones (Ball et al 1972; Hamet et al 1975; Brodows et al 1976) and to psychalogical stress such as the mirror-drawing test (MDT) (Okada et al 1983). In neurotic patients the responses of plasma cAMP and cGMP have been cbserved to differ fi~m controls (Okada et al 1983). The purpose of the present study is to examine whether plasma cyclic nucleotide responses to MDT are different in schizophrenics than in normal subjects and possibly in pahents with other psychiatric illnesses.