Abstract
As part of an investigation of the possible role of dopaminergic mechanisms in some psychoses, the behavioral effects of administration of l-Dopa to schizophrenic patients was assessed. l-Dopa was administered in dosages of 3–6 g/day to 10 such patients who had been maintained off neuroleptic drugs for approximately a week. Behavioral worsening occurred in all 10 patients. Three showed non-specific stimulation while the remaining 7 showed a combination of both stimulation and worsening of pre-existent symptoms or the development of new symptomatology. The significance of these findings is discussed with regard to those of other investigators.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anden, N. E.: Pharmacological and anatomical implications of induced abnormal movements with l-DOPA. Presented Nov. 1969: In: l-DOPA and parkinsonism, A. Barbeau and F. H. McDowell (eds.), pp. 132–143. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Co. 1970.
Anden, N. E., Butcher, S. G., Corrodi, H., Fuxe, K., Ungerstedt, U.: Receptor activity and turnover of dopamine and noradrenaline after neuroleptics. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 11, 303–314 (1970).
Angrist, B., Gershon, S.: Amphetamine abuse in New York City 1966–1968. Sem. Psychiat. 1, 197–207 (1969).
Angrist, B., Gershon, S.: The phenomenology of experimentally induced amphetamine psychosis. Preliminary observations. Biol. Psychiat. 2, 95–107 (1970).
Angrist, B., Gershon, S.: Psychiatric sequelae of amphetamine use. In: Psychiatric complications of medical drugs, pp. 175–199. R. I. Shader (ed.). New York: Raven Press 1972.
Angrist, B., Wallach, M.: Unpublished data.
Brogden, R. N., Speight, T. M., Avery, G. S.: Levodopa: A review of its pharmacological properties and therapeutic uses with particular reference to Parkinsonism, Drugs 2, 257–408 (1971).
Connell, P. H.: Amphetamine Psychosis. Maudsley monographs No. 5. Oxford University Press 1958.
Davis, J., Janowsky, D. S., El-Yousef, M. K., Sekerke, H. J.: The effects of methyl-phenidate and physostigmine in altering psychological behavior in man. Psychopharmacologia (preprint) Vol. 26, Suppl. 1972, p. 37. Presented Collegium Internationale neuro-psychopharmacologicum, VIII, Copenhagen, August 1972.
Ellinwood, E. H.: Effect of chronic methamphetamine intoxication in rhesus monkeys. Biol. Psychiat. 3, 25–32 (1971).
Ernst, A. M.: Mode of action of apomorphine and dexamphetamine on gnawing compulsion in rats. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 10, 316–323 (1967).
Glowinski, J., Axelrod, J., Iversen, L. L.: Regional studies of catecholamines in rat brain IV. Effect of drugs on the disposition and metabolism of H3-norepinephrine and H3-dopamine. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 153, 30–41 (1966).
Goldberg, I., Yeh, B. K.: Attenuation of dopamine-induced renal vasodilatation in the dog by phenothiazines. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 15, 36–40 (1971).
Goodwin, F. K.: Behavioral effects of l-Dopa in man. In: Psychiatric complications of medical drugs, pp. 149–174. R. I. Shader (ed.). New York: Raven Press 1972.
Goodwin, F., Murphy, D. L., Brodie, H. K., Bunney, W. E., Jr.: Levodopa: Alterations in behavior. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther. 12, 383–396 (1971).
Janssen, P. A. J., Niemegeers, C. J. E., Schellekens, K. H. L., Lenaerts, F. M.: Is it possible to predict the clinical effects of neuroleptic drugs (major tranquilizers) from animal data? Arzneimittel-Forsch. 17, 841–854 (1967).
Nyback, H., Sedvall, G.: Regional accumulation of catecholamines formed from tyrosine-14C in rat brain: Effect of chlorpromazine. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 4, 245–252 (1969).
Randrup, A., Munkvad, I.: Stereotyped activities produced by amphetamine in several animal species and man. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 11, 300–310 (1967).
Randrup, A., Munkvad, I.: Behavioral stereotypies induced by pharmacologic agents. Pharmakopsychiat. Neuropsychopharmak. 1, 18–26 (1968).
Randrup, A., Munkvad, I.: Biochemical anatomical and psychological investigation of stereotyped behavior induced by amphetamines. In: Amphetamines and related compounds, pp. 695–713. E. Costa and S. Garattini (eds.). New York: Raven Press 1970.
Rotrosen, J., Wallach, M. B., Angrist, B., Gershon, S.: Antagonism of apomorphine induced stereotypy and emesis in dogs by thioridazine, haloperidol and pimozide. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 26, 185–194 (1972).
Sacks, O. W., Kohl, M. S., Messloff, C. R., Schwartz, W. F.: Effects of levodopa in Parkinsonian patients with dementia. Neurology (Minneap.) 22, 516–519 (1972).
Scheel-Kruger, J.: Behavioral and biochemical comparison of amphetamine derivatives, cocaine, benztropine and tricyclic antidepressant drugs. Europ. J. Pharmacol. 18, 63–73 (1972).
Snyder, S. H., Taylor, K. M., Coyle, J. T., Meyerhoff, J. L.: The role of brain dopamine in behavioral regulation and the actions of psychotropic drugs. Amer. J. Psychiat. 127, 199–207 (1970).
Spensley, J., Rockwell, D. A.: Psychosis during methylphenidate abuse. New Enge. J. Med. 286, 880–881 (1972).
Strian, F., Micheler, E., Benkert, O.: Tremor inhibition in Parkinson syndrome after apomorphine administration under l-Dopa and decarboxylase inhibitor basic therapy. Pharmakopsychiat. 5, 198–205 (1972).
Wallach, M. B., Angrist, B. M., Gershon, S.: The comparison of the stereotyped behavior inducing effects of d and l amphetamine in dogs. Comm. Behav. Viol. 6, 93–96 (1971).
Willner, J. H., Samach, M., Angrist, B. M., Wallach, M. B., Gershon, S.: Drug induced stereotyped behavior and its antagonism in dogs. Comm. Behav. Biol. 5, 135–149 (1970).
Yaryura-Tobias, J. A., Diamond, B., Merlis, S.: The action of l-DOPA on schizophrenic patients (a preliminary report). Curr. Ther. Res. 12, 528–531 (1970a).
Yaryura-Tobias, J. A., Wolpert, A., Dana, L., Merlis, S.: Action of l-DOPA in drug induced extrapyramidalism. Dis. nerv. Syst. 31, 60–63 (1970b).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This work was supported by USPHS Grant No. MH 04669.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Angrist, B., Sathananthan, G. & Gershon, S. Behavioral effects of l-Dopa in schizophrenic patients. Psychopharmacologia 31, 1–12 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00429294
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00429294