Indirect Vasodilatation in Normal Man and in Schizophrenic Patients

Abstract

Characteristics of the peripheral (skin) circulation were studied by skin temp. measurements and by finger plethysmography in clinically healthy persons and in patients with schizophrenia who were judged to be physically healthy. In a general state of vasoconstriction, in a cool room, reflex vasodilatation in the fingers was produced by immersing the feet and lower legs in water at 45[degree]C. The schizophrenic patients, compared with the normal subjects, exhibited a significantly prolonged latent period before vasodilatation began but, once dilatation started, the time course and magnitude of the response was closely similar in the 2 groups. The characteristics of the pulse waves in the finger were not different in schizophrenics as compared with "normal" control subjects. It is concluded that there is no evidence for abnormality of the peripheral vessels in schizophrenics but that in such patients there tends to be either an exceptionally high and persistent state of tonus in the skin vessels or an abnormally high temp. threshold in the hypothalamus.