[Various features of dopamine metabolism in schizophrenia]

Peculiarities of dopamine metabolism were investigated in 27 patients with various forms of active schizophrenic process. The investigations were carried out by determining the content of dopamine and its metabolites in the blood and urine. In all the patients a considerable rise of the dopamine blood level (284.7 of normal) was revealed: prevalent were bound forms of this amine. The free dopamine content in the blood rose still higher in cases of psychomotor excitation. The dopamine content in the patients' urine was lowered. The determinations of dopamine metabolites, such as, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and homovanillic acid showed an insufficiency of dopamine deamination: this was an evidence of a deficient activity of monoamine oxidase. Administration of L-DOPA to schizophrenic patients did not cause a rise of the dopamine blood level (in distinction from normal). The author suggests that the discovered disturbances of dopamine metabolism play a certain role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.