Propranololbehandling vid schizofreni

Abstract

Six schizophrenic patients were treated with propranolol in order to evaluate pharmacological, endocrinological and antipsychotic properties of the drug. They had previously been unsuccessfully treated with phenothiazines. After a drug-free period of two weeks, propranolol was administered in gradually increasing doses. After 2–4 weeks phenothiazines in a low dose was added. The clinical effect was evaluated with the CPRS rating scale. Propranolol in plasma was positively correlated to dosage. The proportion of its major metabolite, 4-hydroxy-propranolol, decreased with increasing drug dose. Serotonin in whole blood and monoamine-oxidase activity in platelets did not change during propranolol treatment. Melatonin and prolactin levels in serum decreased markedly on propranolol. When phenothiazines were added, prolactin increased above drug-free levels. These results support the view that propranolol has an antipsychotic potential which should be further evaluated in clinical trials and possibly also used for the elucidation of biological correlates to psychoses.