Plasma serine in schizophrenics and controls measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

• Published in: Psychiatry research Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 261 - 270
• Main Authors: Baruah, Sankar, Waziri, Rafiq, Hegwood, Teki S., Mallis, Larry M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.06.1991; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Female; gas chromatography / mas spectrometry; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Glycine - blood; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - blood; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; Schizophrenic Psychology; Serine; Serine - blood; gas chromatography / mas spectrometry; Serine; schizophrenia; Human; Psychosis; Gas chromatography; Plasma; Coupled method; Aminoacid; Schizophrenia; Mass spectrometry
• ISSN: 0165-1781; 1872-7123
• DOI: 10.1016/0165-1781(91)90062-T

In several previous studies, we reported significantly higher plasma serine concentrations in psychotic (and schizophrenic) subjects compared with nonpsychotic and control subjects. In those studies, we used a gas chromatopgraphy technique to assay the amino acids. Perry and Hanson (1985), using cation-exchange chromatography to assay plasma amino acids, found no differences in the plasma serine concentrations of controls compared with schizophrenic patients. They criticized our work on technical grounds and suggested that some other substance was co-eluting with the gas chromatographic serine. peaks in our assays. We have now examined the plasma of schizophrenic and control subjects with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), where accurate amino acid quantitation relative to a known internal standard can be achieved. The results show that the plasma serine concentrations of schizophrenic patients are segnificantly higher than those of controls. Also, plasma glycine concentrations are significantly higher in schizophrenic patients compared with controls.