3H-spiperone binding capacity in mononuclear cells: a family study.

1. A family study was carried out using a putative biological vulnerability trait in families of schizophrenics and schizoaffective indexprobands to investigate, if the clinical phenotype and a biological marker for schizophrenia are cosegregating within families. 2. The binding capacity of the dopamine antagonist spiperone to mononuclear cells was investigated in 21 indexprobands and a total of 147 first and second degree relatives. 3. Increased binding capacity could be found in 17 indexprobands and in their affected relatives, independently from clinical diagnosis and in 22% of their normal relatives. 4. No increased binding capacity was found in 4 indexprobands and in their affected relatives and not n any of the unaffected relatives. These results indicate, that increased spiperone binding may cosegregate with the risk for functional psychoses and that families, loaded with psychiatric disturbances may be distinguished on a biological basis.

Spiperone binding capacity in lymphocytes of patients with alcohol- and drug-induced psychosis: preliminary results.

An increased spiperone binding capacity in lymphocytes has been proposed as a possible biological marker for schizophrenia while in previous studies patients with alcohol dependence were shown to have a normal binding capacity. In a pilot study the spiperone binding capacity was studied in 8 patients with alcohol hallucinosis, 11 patients with acute drug-induced psychosis and 12 patients with other organic psychosis. An increased binding capacity, defined as > 4 fmol/l E6 cells, was found in only 1 patient with alcohol hallucinosis, 3 patients with drug-induced psychosis and 2 patients with other organic psychosis. Possible implications of these findings for future research are discussed.

[Pisa syndrome in clozapine therapy]. / Pisa-Syndrom unter Clozapintherapie.

Neuroleptic therapy frequently induces undesirable extrapyramidal side effects. The Pisa syndrome is a rare extrapyramidal side effect caused by neuroleptic treatment. Twisting and bending to one side of the upper thorax, the neck and the head are its typical symptoms. These symptoms mainly develop in elderly patients with a history of neuroleptic treatment. To our knowledge there have been no reports of Pisa syndrome occurring during therapy with clozapine--an atypical neuroleptic drug with no major extrapyramidal side effects. We report on 4 female patients suffering from a chronic schizophrenic and/or depressive condition and having been on a long-term neuroleptic treatment. These patients developed a dystonia equivalent to the Pisa syndrome during an acute clozapine therapy. All four women had signs of marked brain atrophy, two of them also showing tardive dyskinesia already prior to the treatment with clozapine. The etiology of the Pisa syndrome is discussed with respect to discontinuation of treatment with classic neuroleptics, coinciding with the beginning of the clozapine therapy, clinical phenomenology, history of medication, course of treatment, and results of cranial computer tomography.