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Are schizophrenics with abnormal dexamethasone suppression test results a distinct subgroup?
Author(s) -
Dewan M. J.,
Pandurangi A. K.,
Levy B. F.,
Boucher M. L.,
Major L. F.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1985.tb02606.x
Subject(s) - psychology , dexamethasone suppression test , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , medicine , psychiatry , electroencephalography , clinical psychology , neuropsychological test , dopamine , neuropsychology , dexamethasone , neuroscience , cognition
ABSTRACT– Nonsuppression on the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in schizophrenics has been reported by three independent groups. To elucidate the significance of this finding a schizophrenic cohort was tested on a wide range of parameters: computed tomography (CT), electroencephalography (EEG), the Halstead‐Reitan Neuropsychological Battery (HRB), platelet monoamine oxidase activity (MAO), serum dopamine‐ B ‐hydroxylase levels (DBH), premorbid personality adjustment, response to medication and family history of mental illness. Our results indicate that DST nonsuppressing and DST suppressing schizophrenics are no different on any of these measures, lending support to the notion that DST nonsuppression in schizophrenics is a random and changing event.