Disappearance Rates of Infused Epinephrine and Norepinephrine from Plasma

Abstract
Introduction Recently, in the course of experiments dealing with intravenous infusions of epinephrine and norepinephrine in man,1occasion presented itself to perform infusions on a group of normal subjects and on a group of schizophrenic patients. It appeared that data concerning plasma concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine during infusions had bearing on recent suggestions that schizophrenia might be related to a faulty metabolism of either of these two substances. Hoffer and co-workers,2,3for instance, had presented evidence suggestive that certain oxidized derivatives of epinephrine, namely, adrenochrome (3-hydroxy-2,3dihydro-1-methylindole-5,6-quinone) and adrenolutin (3,5,6-trihydroxy-1-methylindole) were capable of producing transient psychoses and other mental aberrations in man when administered intravenously or orally. Thus, the view was advanced3that a defect in epinephrine metabolism resulting in the formation of excessive quantities of adrenochrome or adrenolutin might be an etiologic factor in schizophrenia. In support of this