No abstract available.
Haloperidol* ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Plasma*

No abstract available.
Haloperidol* ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Plasma*

This study explored the differences of clinical response, plasma homovanllic acid concentration, haloperidol and reduced haloperidol concentration after 4 weeks haloperidol treatment between higher and lower baseline homovanllic acid concentration groups of schizophrenic patients. After a 2-weeks washout period, they entered the 4 week haloperidol treatment period. The psychopathology was assessed at baseline just before haloperidol trial and then at 1, 2, 4 week using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS). Also the measurement of plasma homovanillic acid(HVA), haloperidol(HP) and reduced haloperidol(RHP) levels were assessed with high performance liquid chromatography at the same time of PANSS assessments. There were no significant differences on the positive, negative, general symptom score of PANSS, haloperidol and reduced haloperidol levels at the end of 4-week between higher plasma HVA group(bsaeline pHVA> or =12.69ng/ml, 10 subjects) and lower plasma HVA group(bsaeline pHVA<12.69ng/ml, 9 subjects). In higher group, the treatment response mainly occured in 2 weeks after treatment, but in lower group, that occured therough 4 weeks. And in higher group, pHVA decresed constantly, but in lower group, pHVA did not changed in 4 weeks. There was significant correlation between plasma haloperidol levels and the clinical improvement(persentile improvement of PANSS positive, general symptom, total score) at the end of 4 week. But no significant correlation were found between plasma reduced haloperidol and RHP/HP ratio and clinical improvement. These results suggest that baseline HVA level is not a valuable therapeutic predictor but it is able to suggest that higher baseline pHVA group and lower group may have different pathophysiology.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Haloperidol ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Psychopathology

OBJECTIVES: This study was purposed to examine the changes of plasma homovanillic acid(HVA), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA), and HVA/5-HIAA ratio during an 8-week risperidone trial and to investigate the relationship between the plasma monoamine metabolites and risperidone-induced treatment resposes. METHOD: Eighteen schizophrenic patients were treated for 8 weeks with risperidone. The psychopathology was assessed at baseline just before risperidone trial and then at 1st week, 2nd week, 4th week, and 8th week using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS) and the Clinical Global Impression scale(CGI). The plasma HVA and 5-HIAA levels were measured using high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection method. RESULTS: 39% of the patients treated with risperidone was categorized as responders, who showed at least a 20% decrease in PANSS total score at the end point of the study. At the end point of the 1st week, there was significant difference in the percent change of plasma HVA between responders(39% increment) and nonresponders(9% increment). But no significant differences in the percent change of plasma 5-HIAA and the percent change of plasma HVA/5-HIAA ratio between responders and nonresponders were observed. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the magnitude of the early increase of plasma HVA may be associated with risperidone-induced treatment response in schizophrenia.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ; Plasma* ; Psychopathology ; Risperidone ; Schizophrenia*

The recent hypothesis about the pathophysiology of schizophrenia has been centered mainly on two theories, i.e. dopamine hypothesis and serotonin hypothesis. We investigate the correlations between plasma metabolite concentrations and clinical symptoms in schizophrenic patients. The purpose of our study was to examine whether the plasma levels of HVA(homovanillic acid) and 5-HIAA(hydroxyindoleacetic acid) are significantly different in schizophrenics, compared to normal controls. And, with the intention of clarifying the interaction between dopaminergic system and serotoninergic system, the ratio of HVA/5-HIAA also was measured. The second purpose was whether the basal(pre-treatment) levels of these metabolites show the correlation with clinical symptoms. Finally, third purpose was whether basal HVA and 5-HIAA levels can be held as a predictor of treatment response. We used scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms(SAPS) and Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms(SANS) as the clinical symptom rating scales. Our results were as followed, 1) only the level of basal plasma HVA was significantly differ in schizophrenics. 5-HIAA and HVA/5-HIAA were not. 2) basal HVA showed significant correlation with SAPS score, especially delusion subscale. 3) the higher was the basal HVA level, the more improvement in clinical symptoms was observed. The basal 5-HIAA level and the HVA/5-HIAA ratio did not show any significant findings. These results support the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia, but fail to examine on the possible involvement of serotonin in schizophrenia.
Delusions ; Dopamine ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ; Intention ; Plasma* ; Psychopathology* ; Schizophrenia ; Serotonin ; Weights and Measures

This study was done to examine changes of plasma homovanillic, acid(HVA), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid(5-HIAA), and HVA/5-HIAA ratio during an 8-week clozapine trial and to investigate the relationship between the plasma monoamine metabolites and treatment responses. Twenty-seven chronic schizophrenic patients were treated for 8 weeks with clozapine. The psychopathology was assessed at baseline just clozapine trial and then every 2 weeks until the end of 8-week clozapine treatment using the positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS) and the Clinical Global Impression scale(CGI). The plasma HVA and 5-HIAA levels were measured also biweekly using high preformance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection method. Plasma HVA and 5-HIAA levels were significantly decreased during a 8-week chozapine treatment, although plasma HVA/5-HIAA ratio showed no significant change. The changes of plasma HVA levels were in significant correlations with the changes of PANSS positive scores, of general psychophathology scores, and changes of total scores. The changes of plasma 5-HIAA levels were in significant correlations with the changes of PANSS negative scores. But the changes of plasma HVA/5-HIAA ratio had no significant correlation with any PANSS subscale score changes. 48% of the patients treated with clozapine was categorized as responders, who showed at least a 20% decrease in PANSS total score and a CGI severity score of mildly ill or less(< or =3) of the end pint of the study. The baseline plasma HVA levels and HVA/5-HiAA) ratio were significantly higher in responders(N=13) than in nonresponders(N=14). But no significant difference in the change of plasma HVA between responders(40.3% decrement) and nonresponders(3.1% increment). But no significant difference in the change of plasma 5-HIAA and the change of plasma HVA/5-HIAA ratio between responders and nonresponders were observed. These results suggest that the antipsychotic effect of clozapine on positive symptoms may be associated with dopaminergic blocking activity, and that on negative symptoms may be associated with serotonergic blocking activity. The baseline plasma HVA levels and the change of HVA levels from baseline may be useful predictors of treatment response with clozapine.
Antipsychotic Agents ; Chromatography, Liquid ; Clozapine ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ; Plasma* ; Psychopathology ; Schizophrenia*

This research was performed to investigate whether or not the psychobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder is related to dopamine systems. Plasma homovanillic acid levels were measured in 16 male patients with posttraumatic stress disorder and in 16 nonpsychiatric normal males. Posttraumatic stress disorder was diagnosed using the DSM-IV. Plasma homovanillic acid levels were significantly higher in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder than in normal control subjects(p<0.05). The findings of this study suggest that hyperactivity of dopamine systems may be related to the psychobiology of posttraumatic stress disorder.
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ; Dopamine ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Male ; Plasma* ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic*

OBJECTIVES: The authors investigated the possibility of homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) concentrations in plasma to be biological markers before and after the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with schizophrenia were enrolled after two week washout of neuroleptics. Baseline sampling was done after washout. Consequent samplings were done at two and four week time-points after neuroleptic treatment. The concentrations of HVA and MHPG were analysed with clinical variables, such as age, age of onset, duration of illness, period of hospitalization, and changes of clinical state. The HVA and MHPG were assayed using high pressure liquid chromatographyelectrochemical detection method. RESULTS: A significant association was observed between the age of onset and plasma HVA concentration in washout state of antipsychotics. The earlier onset group had lower plasma HVA concentration than the late onset group. A significant association was observed between the age of onset and plasma MHPG concentration in washout state of antipsychotics. The earlier onset group had lower plasma MHPG concentration than the late onset group. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that the activities of dopamine and norepinephrine are different with respect to age of onset in the neuroleptic-naive schizophrenia. Plasma HVA and MHPG concentration can be biological markers for the subgrouping of schizophrenia.
Age of Onset* ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Biomarkers ; Dopamine ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol ; Norepinephrine ; Plasma* ; Schizophrenia*

OBJECTIVES: Changes in plasma homovanillic acid(HVA) were investigated in neuroleptic responsive and non-responsive schizophrenics in order to delineate parameters of dopamine regulation, which may underlie differences in neuroleptic responsivity. METHOD: Twenty newly admitted acute schizophrenic patients were treated with haloperidol for 6 weeks. HVA was sampled at baseline, 3 days after initial neuroleptic dose, and after 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 weeks of treatment. Nine patients were classified as responders in this prospective haloperidol treatment trial. They had a score of change in the BPRS total scores of 25% or greater. Eleven patients were classified as nonresponders, based on a score of changes in the BPRS total scores of less than 25%. RESULTS: 1) The age of onset in respnder was older than nonresponder. 2) There were no significant changes in plasma HVA levels in total patients during 6 weeks haloperidol treatment period, but the nonreponders had a robust decrease in HVA level from baseline to 3 days and one week after haloperidol treatment in successive comparison. 3) There were no significant correlations between plasma HVA level and total scores of BPRS. CONCLUSIONS:This study suggested that neuroleptic non-responsive schizophrenics had a different plasma HVA concentration during haloperidol treatment but could not provide support to the idea that change in plasma HVA in response to neuroleptics can predict eventual clinical response to treatment. Further study is required in order to better characterize the changes in dopamine turnover in subgroups of schizophrenics.
Age of Onset ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Dopamine ; Haloperidol ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Prospective Studies ; Schizophrenia

The authors tried to confirm the significant changes of plasma homovanillic acid(HVA) concentration after insulin administration in comparison with those of usual diurnal variation in the same subjects. Male patients with schizophrenia taking neuroleptics were participated in a study of diurnal variation and insulin induced dopaminergic perturbation, with multiple samplings at baseline. 30minutes, 60minutes and 90minutes after insulin administration(n=18). Ten patients were sampled at baseline and 60minutes after insulin administration. There was a diurnal variation of plasma HVA concentrations, which decreased gradually from 8 am to 9 : 30 am. We confirmed that regular insulin(0.1 unit/kg) blocked the normal diurnal variations and increased plasma HVA concentrations. This pattern was not correlated with clinical variables, such as age, onset age, duration of illness and presence of family history. Schizophrenic patients were grouped by the positive and negative syndrome scale. In contrast to our previous study, the concentrations of positive and negative groups were similar at baseline. The HVA concentrations of negative group after insulin administration were higher than those of positive group without statistical significance. We have a plan modify the current insulin-HAV method. In the near future, we will try to confirm whether the modified insulin-HVA method can be used as a biological indicator for the elucidation of complex clinical manifestations of schizophrenia.
Age of Onset ; Antipsychotic Agents ; Homovanillic Acid* ; Humans ; Insulin ; Male ; Plasma* ; Schizophrenia