The niacin challenge test: Clinical manifestation of altered transmembrane signal transduction in schizophrenia?

Several lines of evidence implicate altered phospholipid-dependent signal transduction (PDST) in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Niacin induces vasodilation through mechanisms requiring intact PDST. Thus, an altered response to a challenge dose of niacin may reflect disturbances in these signa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological psychiatry (1969) 1997-03, Vol.41 (5), p.507-513
Main Authors: Hudson, Craig J., Lin, Anna, Cogan, Samantha, Cashman, Frank, Warsh, Jerry J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Bipolar Disorder - classification
Bipolar Disorder - diagnosis
Bipolar Disorder - physiopathology
circulation
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Membrane Potentials - physiology
Middle Aged
Niacin
Phospholipid
Phospholipids - physiology
prostaglandin
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychoses
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - classification
Schizophrenia - diagnosis
Schizophrenia - physiopathology
signal transduction
Signal Transduction - physiology
Skin Temperature - physiology
Synaptic Membranes - physiology
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Summary:Several lines of evidence implicate altered phospholipid-dependent signal transduction (PDST) in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Niacin induces vasodilation through mechanisms requiring intact PDST. Thus, an altered response to a challenge dose of niacin may reflect disturbances in these signalling processes in this disorder. In the present study, niacin-induced vasodilation was estimated quantitatively in schizophrenic and comparison bipolar affective disorder and healthy subjects using thermocouple sensors to measure the change in skin temperature relative to core body and ambient room temperature. Twelve (42.9%) of 28 schizophrenic subjects did not vasodilate in response to a 200-mg niacin challenge dose, whereas only 1 of 18 (6%) bipolar disorder subjects and none of 28 controls showed impaired response (Fisher's Exact Test, p < .0001). These findings support the notion that the schizophrenic syndromes are biochemically heterogeneous and suggest the existence of a subgroup of schizophrenic subjects in whom phospholipid-dependent signalling responses may be impaired.
ISSN:0006-3223
1873-2402
DOI:10.1016/S0006-3223(96)00112-6