Adenylate kinase activity in cerebrospinal fluid of schizophrenic and certain other psychiatric symptomatologies

Adenylate kinase activity in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was investigated in 29 patients with psychiatric symptomatologies. Such activity was demonstrated in 18 of the 19 individuals with schizophrenic or other psychotic or borderline psychotic symptomatology. No activity was seen in the remaining 10 patients with non-psychotic nervous and/or functional somatic complaints, nor in the 20 persons whose CSF was examined in connection with spinal anaesthesia, nor in four who were treated with neuroleptic drugs on nonpsychiatric indications. The findings are compatible with the assumption that in persons with psychotic or borderline psychotic symptomatology a lowered membrane electrochemical potential may be associated with some of the symptoms exhibited.