Evolution of Plasma Homovanillic Acid (HVA) levels during treatment in schizo-affective disorder

1. Plasma Homovanillic Acid (p HVA) levels were measured by HPLC thigh perf ormance liquid chromatography) in 5 schizo-affective depressed patients rec eiving a standardized treatment. (lithium, chlorpromazine and clomipramine) during 4 weeks. 2. Four patients were pretreated, without a washout period. 3. No significant difference was observed between patients and normal contr ols at baseline. Under treatment, pHVA levels increased (p<0.02) with clini cal improvement (MADRS and PANSS scores). 4. Although effects of medications prior to the study period were not contr olled, these findings suggest that depressed schizo-affective patients may have normal pHVA levels that increase with clinical improvement, unlike sch izophrenic patients whose increased pHVA concentrations decline with neurol eptic treatment.