Plasma catecholamine metabolites as markers for psychosis and antipsychotic response in schizophrenia

The objective of this study tons to determine Me association between the pa tterns of change in the dopaminergic metabolite plasma homovanillic acid (H VA), the noradrenergic metabolite 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), a nd psychosis following haloperidol withdrawal in schizophrenic patients. We ekly plasma measurements were obtained in 107 subjects with schizophrenia o r schizoaffective disorder. Random regression was used to control for indiv idual variance while modeling metabolite changes over time and relationship s with psychosis. Changes in plasma MHPG were not significantly associated with relapse or psychosis, while increased plasma HVA was found to be assoc iated with relapse. Psychosis was correlated negatively with plasma HVA lev els. The current analysis, controlling for individual variance, indicates t hat there is evidence for pharmacological effects an plasma HVA, but not pl asma MHPG. In addition, these metabolites do not appear to be direct marker s of psychosis, but may be associated with a compensatory response by the s ystem to return to the steady state. (C) 1999 American College of Neuropsyc hopharmacology. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.