The author notes that increased serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK)
activity is found in the majority of hospitalized acutely disturbed
schizophrenics and patients with affective psychoses. It is probable that
some of these increases do not result from nonspecific factors such as
activity, trauma, or stress, which do cause increases in some cases. Those
patients who show increased CPK activity have more florid psychopathology
and tend to have higher CPK levels in nonacute periods than those without
increases. First-degree relatives of psychotic patients with elevated serum
CPK have high-normal or slightly increased serum CPK. There is also
evidence of other neuromuscular dysfunction in psychotic patients. The
author concludes that the investigation of CPK may have considerable
heuristic value for the study of schizophrenia and other psychoses.Abstract Teaser