Abnormal thermoregulation in drug-free male schizophrenia patients

Schizophrenia patients may develop various thermoregulatory disturbances. W e hypothesized that a standardized exercise-heat tolerance test [two 50-min bouts of walking a motor-driven treadmill at 40 degreesC (relative humidit y=40%)] would reveal abnormal thermoregulation in drug-free schizophrenia p atients. Six drug-free schizophrenia outpatients and seven healthy comparis on subjects participated in this study. The schizophrenia patients exhibite d significantly higher baseline and exertion-related rectal temperature. Th e relevance of these findings to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia-relat ed thermoregulatory disorders is as yet unclear. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.