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Growth Hormone Responses to Apomorphine HCl in Schizophrenic Patients on Drug Holidays and at Relapse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

J. M. Cleghorn
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
G. M. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, McMaster University
P. J. Brown
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University
R. D. Kaplan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University
S. W. Dermer
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University; Community and Social and Vocational Rehabilitation Schizophrenia Inc., 350 King Street East, Hamilton
D. J. MacCrimmon
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University; Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital
J. Mitton
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, McMaster University, Hamilton

Summary

In nine schizophrenic patients on drug holiday, growth hormone (GH) response to apomorphine HCl 0.75 mg (APO) was compared with normal control data. Patients were tested at two month intervals for up to 14 months. Seven patients relapsed, and of these, five had exaggerated GH responses to APO at that time. Of these five, three had exaggerated GH responses to APO prior to clinical deterioration. Further work is required to determine whether this test can be a useful predictor of relapse.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1983 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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