Correlation between psychopathology and urinary steroid and biogenic amine metabolites in male schizophrenics

In eight normals, eight anxiety neurotics and eight patients of acute schizophrenic episode, twenty-four-hour urinary excretion of each of the following was measured: (1) 17-ketosteroids (17-KS)-total, glucuronides) and sulphates, (2)17-hydroxycorticosteroids 17-KS)-total, conjugated and free, (3) Vanilamendelic acid (VMA), and (4) total indoles. In case of schizophrenics, such measurements were made before starting treatment, and after 30 days of chlorpromazine therapy. The psychopathology of schizophrenic subjects were rated on Rockland and Pollir (R. P.) scale on both occasions. Correlating the psychopathology with the biochemical values, amongst schizophrenics, R. P. score was found to show significant positive correlation with VMA and, to a lesser extent with total indoles. Schizophrenics excrated greater amount of VMA than normals and this returned to near normal levels with treatment. On the other hand, schizophrenics excreted lower amounts of most steroid fractions than normals, but amongst schizophrenics, there was no significant correlation between R. P. score arid steroid excretion.