Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) inchronic schizophrenia. A controlled study

A controlled study on the effect of synthetic Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) versus placebo in 10 drug-free chronic schizophrenics is presented. TRH 600 mug or placebo was administered intravenously on 4 consecutive days in a double-blind cross-over design and the schizophrenic symptoms were scored daily by use of two rating scales (CPRS and NOSIE). Blood samples were taken before and 30 and 45 minutes after the first and the fourth injection and analyzed for TSH. No changes in symptom intensity were found during the TRH or placebo treatment period and no difference was obtained between the two treatments. The dose of TRH used caused a significant increase in the plasma level of TSH which indicated a normal pituitary responsiveness to TRH. The data do not support the notion that TRH has a beneficial effect in chronic schizophrenic patients.