RESUMO
In a double blind study, the immunomodulator drug levamisole was administered along with chloropromazine to 18 schizophrenic patients, and efficiency of the combination was compared to that of chloropromazine along with placebo administered to 16 schizophrenic patients. The decrease in T suppressor cell count found in both groups at benchmark was found to be corrected in the patients receiving levamisole and this increase in T suppressor cell count was significantly correlated with the improvement in psychosis. The findings provide evidence in favour of the autoimmune hypothesis of schizophrenia.
RESUMO
Patterns of serum and C.S.F. IgG, IgA and IgM, and haemagglutination inhibiting (HI) antibodies and complement fixing (CF) antibodies against rubella and cytomegaloviruses respectively and total CSF protein were investigated in 30 depressives, 20 each in neurological and surgical patients. Significant changes in total CSF protein and immunoglobulins in depressives and neurological patients in comparison to surgical subjects indicate an etiological similarity between the two groups. Failure to detect antibodies in C.S.F. of these subjects and statistically insignificant seropositivity refute the claim of viral hypothesis for depression but similar alterations in these body proteins in depressives and neurological patients raise other aetiological possibilities.
RESUMO
Serum acetylcholinesterase activity was measured in hospitalized 30 schizophrenic and 30 depressive patients. It was observed that the enzyme activity was significantly higher in depressive patient than controls (Comprising of 20 surgical subjects). An increase in activity with the duration of illness was also noted in such patients. In contrast, schizophrenics did not show any significant increase except a little increase along with the number of episodes on comparison with control subjects. In view of the cholinergic predominance in depression it is suggested that increased serum cholinesterase activity in the aforementioned disorder may be due to a biochemical defence against the stress of higher acetylcholine content in the body fluids.
