Growth hormone responses to graded doses of apomorphine HCl in schizophrenia

Growth hormone (GH) responses to graded doses of apomorphine HCl (APO) were established in 14 normal males, ages 18-50, and 10 drug-free schizophrenic (SCZ) subjects; 99% confidence intervals were calculated for normal subjects' GH responses to graded doses of APO. Patients' GH peak levels were found to be outside the interval only when they had positive symptoms of psychosis. When they are actively psychotic, the schizophrenics' GH response to small doses of APO is more sensitive than that of normals.