Effect of adjuvant reserpine treatment on catecholamine metabolism in schizophrenic patients under long-term neuroleptic treatment.

The clinical and biochemical effects of adjuvant reserpine treatment were investigated in 12 chronic schizophrenic patients on long-term neuroleptic medication. The global severity of the symptoms using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale did not change significantly in the whole group, however, a moderate decrease in positive symptoms (factors though disturbance, activation and hostile-suspiciousness) was observed for 5 patients. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) noradrenaline levels showed a consistent decrease, but other biochemical parameters (CSF dopamine metabolites, platelet MAO and serum dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activities) did not change significantly. The changes of clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters did not show any correlation.