ERYTHROCYTE-MEMBRANE PHOSPHOLIPIDS IN PSYCHOTIC-PATIENTS

Thin layer chromatography and laser densitometry were used to examine erythrocyte membrane phospholipid composition in 13 medication-free pa tients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and 11 healthy c ontrol subjects. The patient group had significantly decreased levers of phosphatidylethanolamine and a significant increase in sphingomyeli n. The patient group also showed a trend toward decreased levels of ph osphatidylinositol bisphosphate. Levels of phosphatidylcholine and lys ophosphatidylcholine did not significantly differ between groups. Ther e were no significant effects of age, body mass index, or gender on an y of the phospholipid parameters. The observed alterations may point t o abnormalities in key membrane-related functions, including signal tr ansduction and ion transport.