Schizophrenia: Reconciliation of the dopamine, prostaglandin, and opioid concepts and the role of the pineal

Lancet. 1979 Mar 10;1(8115):529-31. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(79)90948-6.

Abstract

In recent years it has been suggested that the biological defect in schizophrenia may be related to excess dopamine activity, to production of an abnormal opioid or a normal opioid in excess, to a prostaglandin deficiency, to a hypersensitivity to wheat proteins, to an allergic phenomenon, to a defect in zinc metabolism, or to a pineal deficiency. The present hypothesis proposes that the various concepts are not mutually exclusive but represent different aspects of the same problem. The final common path in schizophrenia may be a failure of formation and action of prostaglandins of the 1 series.

MeSH terms

  • Allergens
  • Dopamine / metabolism*
  • Endorphins / biosynthesis*
  • Enkephalins / biosynthesis*
  • Humans
  • Hypersensitivity / complications
  • Melatonin / deficiency*
  • Pineal Gland / metabolism*
  • Plant Proteins / adverse effects
  • Prostaglandins E / deficiency*
  • Schizophrenia / etiology*
  • Triticum / adverse effects
  • Zinc / deficiency

Substances

  • Allergens
  • Endorphins
  • Enkephalins
  • Plant Proteins
  • Prostaglandins E
  • Zinc
  • Melatonin
  • Dopamine