Carbohydrate Metabolism in Brain Disease

Abstract
Earlier work done in this laboratory has shown that patients with schizophrenic, manic-depressive, and involutional psychoses have a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism.1The fact that chlorpromazine and reserpine improve the behavior of patients with these syndromes is well known. However, it is difficult to establish the efficacy of any medication in affective psychoses, since these disorders are usually self-limited. It was therefore decided to study the carbohydrate metabolism of chronically schizophrenic patients who improved while receiving these medications. Material and Methods Five women, ranging in age from 26 to 49 years, were studied. All were well nourished and free of intercurrent disease. Observations were made on changes that took place in various blood constituents after the administration of 100 gm. of glucose by mouth. The methods used were as previously described.1 Observations Case 1. —Woman, age 49 years. The patient had been hospitalized continuously for the last 10