Justifications for the Amino Acid Theory of Schizophrenia

I have been touting the amino acid theory of schizophrenia. I feel that the same theory is valid for depression and other psychiatric diagnoses. Since amino acids are in the diet, this points towards an alternative medicine treatment for psychiatric diseases. In other words, these diseases are food allergies.

Orlovskaya et al (1975)

These Russian scientists studied the brain cells of embryos from schizophrenic Mothers. They found "granular inclusions" in the cytoplasm. Some inclusions were associated with the endoplasmic reticulum.

They concluded that there was a toxic factor that detroys the integrity of the plasma membrane (also called the cell membrane). The mitochondria showed swelling, clarification of the matrix, and destruction of cristae. The "clarification" of the matrix could mean that fat was being produced and deposited in the matrix.

Similar results on other test objects were reported by Solov'eva et al (1970), by Savulev (1967), and by Tikhonov et al (1967).

The synthesis apparatus was affected. This apparatus houses amino acids. This suggests a possible error in amino acid metabolism or amino acid transport.

Macht (1949)

Macht of the UK reported a toxic factor which inhibited plant growth.

Reider (1957)

Reider of the US used a spider web assay to detect a toxic factor in the blood serum of schizophrenics.

Lidemann (1965)

Lidemann used blood cells as an assay. Hemolysis was caused by the toxic blood factor.

Nishimura eta al (2000)

This Japanese group reported carbohydrate deposits in "the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampal formation of patients with schizophrenia". This strongly suggests flawed glucose metabolism. The glucose metabolism is probably slow.

The Vogts

These brilliant German neuropathologists "have been able in all cases thus far examined to demonstrate anatomic peculiarities or alterations in the brains" in schizophrenia "and other psychoses". These were histologic lesions. There were "wasting cells". "... their cytoplasm became progressively vacuolated and then disappeared whereas their nucleus remained relatively unaltered." There was disappearance of the tigroid bodies. There was accumulations of lipoids.

Scharenberg & Brown (1952)

These Michigan workers reported axons that were "hypertrophic" (enlarged). There were "satellites". There were "broken-down intracellular structures". This study used the light microscope. "Intracellular" means "within the cell".

Necrotic (dying) cells were seen. Neurons were seen in "various stages of degeneration". This work appears to prove the popular neurodevelopmental theory to be false.

"There were countless fragments of destroyed cells and their processes."

"The degenerated astro- and microglia appeared as hypertrophic elements with numerous swollen and broken-down processes."

"In some areas giant, hypertrophic forms prevailed".

Conclusions

The swollen cells described by the Michigan workers are consistent with a toxic factor. In one patient the "face and extremities became cyanotic" and cold. This appears to suggest a partial failure of energy metabolism.

The "ameboid degeneration of all types of glia" confirmed previous work by Alzheimer.

Scharenberg & Brown (1952) found neurons which "contained large amounts of lipoids which stained well with oil red". The myelinated fibers were "greatly swollen". This confirmed earlier findings of lipoids by Alzheimer (1897, 1913) and others.

They suggested "a profound disturbance of metabolism". My view is that they were correct. The swollen cells support the theory of amino acids flooding the cells.