ENDOCRIN AND BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

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Abstract
A study of 24 cases of schizophrenia, the following studies were made: A complete x-ray study, basal metabolism, blood sugar curve, galactose tolerance test, chemical and microscopic examination of the blood, Kottman test, spinal fluid examination, gastric analysis, renal function test, and cardio-ocular reflex. Abnormally low basal metabolism was found in 1/2 of the cases with a tendency towards low or minus readings in nearly all the other cases. Nearly [image] of the cases showed an abnormal blood sugar curve, all but 1 being of the "sustained" type. Over 1/3 showed a positive galactose test. X-ray examinations and gastric analyses showed a definite functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract in about 1/2 of the cases and questionable functional disorders in all but 2 of the others. X-ray further revealed infected teeth in 40% with questionable infection in 10% more, also "dropped" hearts in 30%, questionable pulmonary tuberculosis in 13%, and healed pulmonary tuberculosis in 4% (1 case). The findings are not consistent with the constant presence of any definite endocrin disorder and do not suggest that a simple glandular disfunction of a constant type is an etiological factor in schizophrenia. Rather they suggest that many functional disorders, closely linked up with the endocrin system, are frequently found and that schizophrenia is not a specific endocrin disease but may arise on a number of different bases. The one constant finding appears to be that a metabolic disorder of varying degree is nearly always present.

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