Sialic acid in platelets of schizophrenic patients

1. Nerve cell membrane sialic acid is involved in the activity of nervous tissue by its capacity to bind Ca ions and positively charged biogenic amines. 2. Blood platelets may serve as a model for amine-storing neurons. 3. The purpose of the present study was to determine the sialic acid content of platelets of schizophrenic patients in view of reports showing a reduced serotonin uptake by their platelets. 4. To this end platelets were isolated from the blood of 26 schizophrenic patients (13 males and 13 females) of various diagnostic subtypes and from 21 healthy subjects, and sialic acid was determined after hydrolysis at 80 degrees for 1 h in 0.1 NHCl. 5. The results showed significantly lower contents of sialic acid in the patients as compared to controls calculated both per 10(8) cells and per mg protein (18% and 25% lower, respectively) and appear to be in line with the reduced serotonin uptake in their cells in schizophrenia. 6. There were no appreciable differences between sexes and between the various subtypes of this disease.