CHOLECYSTOKININ, BETA-ENDORPHIN AND VASOACTIVE-INTESTINAL-PEPTIDE IN PERIPHERAL-BLOOD MONONUCLEAR-CELLS OF DRUG-NAIVE SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS TREATED WITH HALOPERIDOL COMPARED TO HEALTHY CONTROLS

Cholecystokinin (CCK), beta-endorphin (BE), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 30 drug-naive schizophrenics compared to 22 healthy controls were studied. Patients were evaluated with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), the Sc ale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS) and the Scale for t he Assessment of the Negative Symptoms (SANS) at baseline (T0), and af ter four weeks (T4) in nine patients who were subsequently treated wit h haloperidol (HL). Neuropeptide concentrations in peripheral blood mo nonuclear cells (PBMC) were measured at T0 and, for the treated patien ts, at T4. There was a negative correlation between CCK and SANS basel ine scores and a trend for patients who responded poorly to HL (i.e. p atients with a prevalence of negative symptomatology) to have lower CC K basal values. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.