The authors studied platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in 29
schizophrenic inpatients and 26 schizophrenic outpatients during a 4- week
double-blind trial of chlorpromazine with imipramine or thiothixene with
placebo. The found that significantly more schizophrenic patients than
normal control subjects had low platelet MAO activity after 4 weeks.
Outpatients with low MAO activity were distinguished by increased
behavioral activity and reduced social apathy. Inpatients with low MAO
activity were distinguished by severity of illness and symptoms.
Hallucinations were significantly more frequent among patients with low MAO
activity. The authors suggest that platelet MAO activity might decline in
some actively schizophrenic patients as part of the psychotic process.Abstract Teaser