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S-adenosylmethionine-dependent N-methyltransferase activity in autopsied brain parts of chronic schizophrenics and controls

Published Online:https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.135.6.725

The transmethylation hypothesis of schizophrenia proposes that the disease results from excessive accumulation of methylated derivatives of biogenic amines. To test the hypothesis that an abnormality in S- adenosylmethionine-dependent N-methyltransferase (SAM enzyme) might play a role in schizophrenia, the authors compared SAM enzyme activity of in vitro preparations of 6 brain regions obtained at autopsy from chronic schizophrenics and nonschizophrenic controls. An analysis of variance demonstrated statistically significant differences among brain regions but not between schizophrenics and controls.

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