Abstract
A gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of blood N,N-dimethyltryptamine in normal controls and schizophrenic patients was carried out with a sensitivity limit of 0.05 ng/ml whole blood. Although the results appear to suggest that the mean DMT level was higher in the total patient group, those patients with acute psychosis, female patients and patients with suspiciousness scores on the BPRS of 4 or over, the differences were not statistically significant.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aghajanian, G. K., Foote, W. E., Sheard, M. H.: Action of psychotogenic drugs in single raphe neurons. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 171, 178–187 (1970)
Bidder, T. G., Mandel, L. R., Ahn, H. S., Walker, R. W., Vanden-Heuvel, W. J. A.: Blood and urinary dimethyltryptamine concentrations in acute psychotic disorders. Lancet 1974I, 165
Forrest, F. M., Forrest, Irene S., Mason, A. S.: Review of rapid urine tests for phenothiazine and related drugs. Amer. J. Psychiat. 118, 300–307 (1961)
Lipinski, J. F., Mandel, L. R., Ahn, H. S., VandenHeuvel, W. J. A., Walker, R. W.: Blood dimethyltryptamine concentrations in psychotic disorders. Biol. Psychiat. 9, 89–91 (1974)
Mandel, L. R.: Dimethyltryptamine: Its biosynthesis and possible role in mental disease. In: Neurotransmitter balance and behavior, E. F. Domino and J. Davis, eds., Ann Arbor, Michigan: Edward Brothers (in press, 1976)
Walker, R. W., Ahn, H. S., Albers-Schonberg, G., Mandel, L. R., VandenHeuvel, W. J. A.: Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric isotope dilution assay for N,N-dimethyltryptamine in human plasma. Biochem. Med. 8, 105–113 (1973)
Wyatt, R. J., Gillin, J. C., Kaplan, J., Stillman, R., Mandel, L. R., Ahn, H. S., VandenHeuvel, W. J. A., Walker, R. W.: N,N-dimethyltryptamine: A possible relationship to schizophrenia. In: Advances in biochemical psychopharmacology, vol. II, pp. 299–313. New York: Raven Press 1974
Wyatt, R. J., Mandel, L. R., Ahn, H. S., Walker, R. W., VandenHeuvel, W. J. A.: Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric isotope dilution on N,N-dimethyltryptamine concentrations in normals and psychiatric patients. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 31, 265–270 (1973)
Wyatt, R. J., Murphy, D. L., Belmaker, R., Cohen, S., Connelly, C. H., Pollin, W.: Reduced monoamine oxidase activity in platelets: A possible genetic marker for vulnerability to schizophrenia. Science 179, 916–918 (1973)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Angrist, B., Gershon, S., Sathananthan, G. et al. Dimethyltryptamine levels in blood of schizophrenic patients and control subjects. Psychopharmacology 47, 29–32 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428697
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428697