[Structural and metabolic status and functional properties of erythrocytes in schizophrenic patients]

Structural metabolic properties and functional state of blood erythrocytes have been studied in 118 patients with paranoid schizophrenia and 22 patients with residual schizophrenia. Control group comprised 103 normals. Thin layer chromatography, fluorescent probing Na+, K(+)-ATP-ase activity evaluation, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, laser difractometry and selectometry were used. A distinct increase of cholesterol and lysophosphatidylcholin, a decrease of phosphatidyl ethanolamine, higher organisation of both integral lipid biolayer and annular lipid fraction, structural modification of outer membrane layers, Na+, K(+)-ATP-ase activity decrease, disorganization of surface architectonics and ultrastructure of erythrocytes, decrease of their deformatability and aggretablity enhancement were found in erythrocyte membranes of the patients with paranoid schizophrenia who had not received psychopharmacocorrective therapy for 6 months before examination. The expression of the indices studied did not correlate with either the disease exacerbation or remission. A similar pattern of erythrocyte disturbances was detected in patients with paranoid and residual schizophrenia on long-term treatment with neuroleptics.