This study by Richardson, et al, was done to test the relationship between blood levels of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and schizophrenia. BH4 is a vital chemical cofactor necessary for the body for making the following neurotransmitters:
Dopamine (DA.)
Noradrenaline (NA.)
Serotonin (5-HT.)
Nitric oxide (NO.)
Glutaminergic system stimulation.
Phenylalanine blood levels were also tested because phenylalanine is know to stimulate the production of BH4.
Deficiencies of all of the above neurotransmitters have previously been found in schizophrenic patients. Schizophrenics were found by the authors to have an average reduction of total biopterins of 34% as compared to non-schizophrenic controls. The authors believe that further study is warranted on this relationship.
CONCLUSION: Deficiency of BH(4) has been found in as many as 34% of schizophrenics and should be studied further. Phenylalanine is known to raise blood levels of BH(4).
NOTE: Only the PubMed abstract was reviewed for this summary.
To read the author’s abstract of the article click on the link to the author’s title of the article.
PMID: 16244500.
Summary #100.
