Am J Psychiatry 1976; 133:772-777
Copyright © 1976 by American Psychiatric Association
Immunoglobulin levels in psychiatric patients
M Strahilevitz, JB Fleischman, GW Fischer, R Harris and N Narasimhachari
In a study of 19 schizophrenic patients, 7 nonschizophrenic patients, and
31 controls, the authors found significantly higher mean serum levels of 1)
immunoglobulin A in schizophrenic women then in control women and in
schizophrenic blacks than in either schizophrenic whites or black controls.
2) immunoglobulin D in schizophrenic blacks than in schizophrenic whites,
3) immunoglobulin M in controls than in nonschizophrenic patients, and 4)
immunoglobulin G (IgG) in schizophrenics whose urine was positive for
phenothiazines than in schizophrenics whose urine was negative for
phenothiazines. High serum levels of IgG were associated with no or mild
hallucinations and low levels with moderate or severe hallucinations. Black
female patients had significantly more severe hallucinaions than white
female patients. The authors discuss the possible implications of these
findings.
