BLOOD GLUTATHIONE, LACTIC ACID, AND PYRUVIC ACID RELATIONSHIPS IN SCHIZOPHRENIA

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Abstract
HOSKINS1 and Looney2 have suggested that patients with schizophrenia may have dysfunction of some oxidative mechanism. An inverse relationship between the lactic acid and the glutathione content of the blood was noted after exercise in patients with schizophrenia but not in normal controls.2a It was postulated that glutathione is one of the catalysts upon which the removal of lactic acid is dependent, and that in schizophrenia a disturbance of some other oxidative mechanism places a greater burden on the glutathione mechanism, with the inverse relationship resulting. In this laboratory we have been interested in studying the effects of amobarbital (amytal®) sodium on various patient groups. It has been noted that patients with schizophrenia fail to respond to this drug clinically as do patients with manicdepressive psychosis, depressive type.3 Preparatory to the use of amobarbital as a stress to be placed on patients during a study of