Abdalla D S, Monteiro H P, Oliveira J A, Bechara E J
Clin Chem. 1986 May;32(5):805-7.
Activities of superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) and glutathione peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.9) in erythrocytes were evaluated in 50 schizophrenic and 20 manic-depressive patients, who were or were not being treated with different neuroleptic drugs, and results were compared with those for 58 normal individuals. Neuroleptic-treated and untreated schizophrenic patients showed similar activities of superoxide dismutase, about 60% higher than those found in normal individuals (p less than 0.001). In manic-depressive patients treated with either lithium (n = 8) or lithium plus neuroleptic drugs (n = 12), superoxide dismutase activities were increased by about 40% over those of normal subjects (p less than 0.001). Significantly abnormal activities of glutathione peroxidase were found only in the sub-group of schizophrenic women. These results are interpreted in terms of active oxygen species involvement in the psychiatric manifestations.
