This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Improvement of Schizophrenic Patients Treated With Des-Tyr1]--endorphin (DTE)

Wim M. A. Verhoeven, MD; Herman M. van Praag, MD; Jan M. van Ree, MD; David de Wied, MD

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1979;36(3):294-298.

Abstract
• It was postulated from animal experiments that -endorphin and, in particular, the nonopiate-like peptide [des-Tyr¹]--endorphin (DTE, β-lipotropin [β-LPH]_62-77) have neuroleptic-like activity. To test this, 14 patients with long-lasting, relapsing schizophrenic or schizoaffective psychosis resistant to conventional neuroleptics were treated with DTE. An open design was used first for six patients (study 1) and a double-blind, crossover design for the other eight (study 2). In study 1, all neuroleptic medication was discontinued and 1 mg of DTE zinc phosphate was given daily intramuscularly for about seven days. In study 2, six patients were maintained with neuroleptic therapy and two patients were drug free; all eight received daily intramuscular injections of 1 mg of nonlasting DTE in saline solution for eight days. There was transient or semipermanent improvement in both studies in which the psychotic symptoms diminished or even disappeared. In study 2, there was a slight but significant improvement with the first treatment. Improvement continued and by day 4, the psychotic symptoms had almost disappeared. No toxic side effects were noted. These effects of DTE may be a consequence of the normalization of β-endorphin homeostasis in the brain.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Psychiatry (Drs Verhoeven and Praag), and the Rudolf Magnus Institute for Pharmacology (Drs van Ree and de Wied), State University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Nov 21, 1978.

Reprint requests to the Department of Psychiatry, State University, Nicolaas Beetsstraat 24, Utrecht, The Netherlands (Dr Verhoeven).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Antipsychotic Properties of Des-Enkephalin-{gamma}-Endorphin in Treatment of Schizophrenic Patients
Verhoeven et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1982;39:648-654.
ABSTRACT  

{gamma}-Type Endorphins and Schizophrenia
Verhoeven et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1981;38:1182-1182.
ABSTRACT  

Effect of Des-Tyrosine-{gamma}-Endorphin in Tardive Dyskinesia
Casey et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1981;38:158-160.
ABSTRACT  

Des-Tyrosine-{gamma}-Endorphin Administration in Chronic Schizophrenics: A Preliminary Report
Tamminga et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1981;38:167-168.
ABSTRACT  

{beta}-Endorphin and Schizophrenia
Berger et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1980;37:635-640.
ABSTRACT  

{beta}-Endorphin: Intravenous Infusion Causes Behavioral Change in Psychiatric Inpatients
Gerner et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1980;37:642-647.
ABSTRACT