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A comparative study on the antipsychotic properties of desenkephalin‐γ‐endorphin and ceruletide in schizophrenic patients
Author(s) -
Verhoeven W. M. A.,
Westenberg H. G. M.,
Ree J. M.
Publication year - 1986
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.1600-0447.1986.tb02698.x
Subject(s) - ceruletide , placebo , medicine , cholecystokinin , antipsychotic , neuropeptide , anesthesia , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , endocrinology , gastroenterology , psychiatry , alternative medicine , receptor , pathology
The neuropeptides desenkephalin‐γ‐endorphin (DEγE) and ceruletide were administered intramuscularly to patients with schizophrenic psychoses following a double‐blind placebo‐controlled design, including a total of 44 subjects. Neuroleptic medication was continued during the experimental period, which was started with one placebo injection for all patients. One week later subjects received a single intramuscular injection with 3 mg DEγE, 40 ug ceruletide or placebo. After an interval of 10 days, the patients received six similar injections over a period of 2 weeks. Treatment with either peptides resulted in a decrease of psychotic symptomatology as compared to placebo treatment. The beneficial effect of the peptides lasted at least 2 weeks after the experimental treatment period. Of the 14 patients treated with placebo only, three showed a slight response. Of the 30 patients treated with the neuropeptides, eight did not respond (DEγE: 3; ceruletide: 5), eight had a slight response (DEγE: 6; ceruletide: 2) and 14 responded moderately or markedly (DEγE: 6; ceruletide: 8). No obvious difference between the effects of the two neuropeptides was found, besides a somewhat earlier onset of the effect of ceruletide. Patients presenting relatively less negative psychotic symptoms were particularly susceptible to treatment with either peptide. Apart from slight and shortlasting gastrointestinal complaints after the first injections with ceruletide in some patients, no side effects were observed.