Studying Schizophrenia on a Cellular Level

There are several levels on which to study schizophrenia. Linus Pauling felt that it should be studied on a molecular level. This is a good approach, but a difficult one. It also makes sense to study it on a cellular level because one can figure out some of what is going on with the molecules from the cellular pathology.

Sukhorukova (1969)

L. Sukhorukova of Moscow, working under professor Romasenko, studied brain biopsy material. The brain tissue was from the upper layers of the frontal cortex. This area is called the superior frontal gyrus.

Sukhorukova used the electron microscope.

"A pronounced enlargement in the diameter of cisternae and an increase in their number in the granular endoplasmic reticulum and an accumulation of lipofuscin-like granules in the cytoplasm of neurons and glial elements were pronouced on the electron micrographs." The cisternae house amino acids.

A flooding of the cells with amino acids would explain Sukhorukova's findings. The lipofuscin accumulation could be explained by an increased metabolic rate (caused by the excess amino acids).

The cells are generating garbage faster than the garbage can be disposed of.

The Vogts (1948, 1952)

The granular endoplasmic reticulum was formerly called the "Nissl bodies". These Nissl bodies are being destroyed in schizophrenia according to the Vogts. Similar work was reported by Roizin (1952) of the US using biopsy material.

Nissl was a famous German psychiatrist and neuropathologist who discovered them at the turn of the century (before World War I).

Bonartsev (1976, 1977)

Bonartsev of the Soviet Union found activated lymphocytes in schizophrenia. There were fewer narrow cytoplasmic lymphocytes.

"Activation" means that the cells are actively making protein from amino acids.

Orlovskaia

Orlovskaia, also of the Soviet Union, found "lipoid deposition, acute swelling" etc.

Tyrrell et al (1983)

Tyrrell et al of the UK found "enlarged mitochondria with few cristae". Similar results were found by Savulev of the Soviet Union.

Conclusions

Sukhorukova (1969) found dark glycogen-like" granules. Similar results were found by Mesa Castillo of Havana, Cuba in platelets of schizophrenics. According to Sukhorukova there was "simultaneous disruption of synthesizing and energy apparatus of the cell". These results would be explained if amino acids were flooding the cells. The glycogen is explained if the brain (and platelets) was burning amino acids for fuel instead of glucose. The brain might be burning them to get rid of the excess.

The 1983 findings of Orlovskaia were also positive. Orlovskaia found ischemic, degenerative, edematous changes of the neurons and both proliferative and degenerative changes of neuroglia. The finding of gliosis suggests a toxic process. Orlovskaia blamed metabolic changes in the brain. She saw schizophrenia as an encephalopathy with diffue dystrophic processes.

She described atrophy, lipoid sclerosis, synaptic degeneration, frontal & cortical pathology, etc. The lipoid sclerosis is explained if amino acids are flooding the cells. Some excess amino acids could be converted to fat. In other words, the cells are overeating due to a transport error.

Orlovskaia's work was published in a 1983 book called "Handbook of Psychiatry" edited by A. A. Snezhnevsky, another big name in Soviet psychiatry.

But what is to be done? My theory is that a diet very low in amino acids should be tried as a therapy. Such a diet would be similar to the PKU diet. Meat, fish, eggs, milk, etc. are banned. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are eaten.

References

1. www.associatedcontent.com/article/644151/european_research_on_mental_health.html .

2. www.associatedcontent.com/article/631235/curing_mental_disease.html .

3. www.associatedcontent.com/article/630989/the_riddle_of_mental_illness.html .

4. www.associatedcontent.com/article/622741/international_findings_in_schizophrenia.html .