A diminished cAMP response to prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) in platelets from
schizophrenic patients has been demonstrated previously. The authors report
that among 35 actively psychotic male schizophrenic patients, the platelet
cAMP response to PGE1 was negatively correlated with global symptom
severity and with several indexes of positive symptom severity but not with
negative symptom severity. If this subsensitivity of platelet PGE receptors
extends to brain PGE receptors, schizophrenic patients may have an
impairment in the ability of endogenous PGEs to inhibit dopaminergic
transmission. Such impairment could have a permissive effect on the
production of psychotic symptoms during exacerbations in schizophrenic
patients.Abstract Teaser