Production of interferon (IFN)-alpha and -gamma by leukocytes from 34 patients with acute schizophrenia and 34 controls was measured before and after 5-6 weeks of antipsychotic treatment by using Sendai virus as IFN-alpha inducer and lentil lectin as inducer for IFN-gamma production. The schizophrenia series included 13 first admission patients (mean duration of illness 1.1 years) and 21 re-entry patients (mean duration of illness 10.1 years). Of the total series 23 were drug-free at the time of pretreatment sampling. In all subgroups the schizophrenic patients produced less IFNs than healthy controls although the differences reached statistical significance only in the total group of schizophrenic patients with regard to production of IFN-alpha. The antipsychotic drug treatment did not have an effect on IFN production. The techniques used, the influence of genetic factors, and eventual clinical implications are discussed.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A controlled double-blind study of haloperidol versus thioridazine in the treatment of restless mentally subnormal patients. Serum levels and clinical effects.

A randomized cross-over trial was conducted in 30 restless mentally subnormal patients by increasing the dosage of haloperidol from 10 to 60 mg and of thioridazine from 100 to 600 mg daily. The effects of drug holidays and serum drug levels were also examined. Mesoridazine had 5-6 times higher serum levels than the parent compound and relatively high serum levels are achieved already with moderate doses. The observed differences between haloperidol and thioridazine treatment were surprisingly few. Serum cholesterol was higher (P < 0.05) at the end of the thioridazine administration. Drug holidays may benefit may patients.

Adolescent↗