Calcium: pacesetting the periodic psychoses

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Abstract
In a double-blind study dihydrotachysterol (DHT) was given orally to 8 psychotic patients; in each case marked increases in psychosis and agitation accompanied increases in serum Ca and P within 2 wk after active drug was substituted for placebo. In 3 patients whose psychoses exhibited periodic spontaneous exacerbations, the agitated episodes intensified. Serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) increased in all but 1 patient. When 3 periodically psychotic patients received synthetic salmon calcitonin (SCT), agitated episode, severity and frequency decreased while CSF Ca increased in all 3. Apparently observed abrupt increases in serum Ca and P might cause opposite CSF Ca shifts, behavioral agitation, and serum CPK increases frequently noted during acute psychosis.