Schizophrenia, Anxiety, and Biochemical Factors

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Abstract
Introduction This study was undertaken in order to explore some of the factors which might contribute to rather consistent, but usually statistically nonsignificant, trends towards increased rates of oxidation of (DPP) N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine occurring in schizophrenics as compared to nonschizophrenics. Let us first briefly review the relevant investigations on this subject up to this time before further detailing our aims in this study. In 1957 Akerfeldt demonstrated that the in vitro oxidation of DPP by serum, as measured by optical density at the end of a 6-minute period, is increased in patients with schizophrenia, senile psychoses, and manic-depressive illness.1 He inferred that a reducing agent, most likely ascorbic acid, was responsible for the initial lag period, and that a catalytically active protein, possibly ceruloplasmin, a copper containing ∝-globulin, was an important oxidizing agent. Holmberg and Laurell24 noted that ceruloplasmin could oxidize many amines.