The Role of Blood in Mental Illness

Ref. 1 reported "activated" platelets in schizophrenia. Also there were fewer platelets in schizophrenia, probably due to platelet destruction from some unknown cause. "Activated" platelets means that the platelets were actively making proteins from amino acids. This could be explained if amino acids were flooding the platelets. The amino acid flooding would also explain platelet destruction.

This result is consistent with work done on platelets by Dr. Segundo Mesa Castillo of Havana. Unfortunately this brilliant psychiatrist's work has not been indexed in Pubmed for some unknown reason. However, it can be seen at the World Psychiatric Association website. Mesa Castillo has developed a biological test for schizophrenia based on a microscopic examination of the platelets. There are giant platelets with "elephant feet". These abnormal platelets have vacuoles and glycogen deposits. The glycogen deposits suggest a slow glucose metabolism. This would be explained if amino acids were flooding the cells.

Abnormal One-Carbon Metabolism

Ref. 2 reports "altered one-carbon metabolism". These workers are from the Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India. This report appears to support nutritional theories for schizophrenia. This is a rare case of such a report being indexed in Pubmed, which is a US National Library of Medicine database. A huge number of such reports have appeared in the literature, but they rarely appear in Pubmed. Many appear in the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine, which is not indexed by Pubmed for some unknown reason. Sometimes the results don't come out the way the big shots want them to come out.

Increased homocysteine could result from excessive methylation. Methylation can convert methionine to homocysteine. As psychiatric symptoms are sometimes seen in homocysteineuria, the finding of increased homocysteine is provocative.

Atypical "Antipsychotics"

Ref. 3 discusses bad side effects of atypical "antipsychotics" including weight gain, bad blood lipid profile, diabetes, etc. It suggests careful monitoring of patients on these drugs. This is a good idea. Diet can be used to fight the weight gain and to fight the bad blood lipid profile. Ref. 10 discusses the adverse lipid profile.

Miscellaneous Side Effects

Unfortunately the situation with drug side effects is a horror story (4). Ref. 4 discusses neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which is a very serious side effect of neuroleptics. Olanzapine (Zyprexa) can cause this side effect, which can be fatal (7). Clozapine can also cause this side effect (5, 6).

Refs.8 & 9 discuss another terrible side effect.

Alternative Medicine

The alternative approaches to treatment tend to have positive side effects (11).

Conclusions

Ref. 12 presents more information on organic treatments in psychiatry. This article is available free full text at Associated Content. Ref. 13 discusses physical diseases with psychiatric symptoms.

Ref. 14 details nutritional theories and treatments in psychiatry. These approaches hold great promise. This author favors orthomolecular psychiatry because there are too many terrible side effects of psychiatric drugs.

References

1. [Platelet peculiarities in chronic schizophrenic patients.] Zlobina GP, Brusov OS, Morozova MA, Beniashvili AG. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2009;109(10):47-50. Russian.

2. Reduced folic acid, vitamin B(12) and docosahexaenoic acid and increased homocysteine and cortisol in never-medicated schizophrenia patients: Implications for altered one-carbon metabolism. Kale A, Naphade N, Sapkale S, Kamaraju M, Pillai A, Joshi S, Mahadik S. Psychiatry Res. 2009 Dec 5. [Epub ahead of print]

3. The comorbidity of diabetes mellitus and psychiatric disorders. Medved V, Jovanović N, Knapić VP. Psychiatr Danub. 2009 Dec;21(4):585-8.

4. A rare case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome presenting with serious hyperthermia treated with a non-invasive cooling device: a case report. Storm C, Gebker R, Krüger A, Nibbe L, Schefold JC, Martens F, Hasper D. J Med Case Reports. 2009 Feb 19;3:6170.

5.Franzen D, Burkhard J, Corti N, Schupbach D, Fontanel D, Staubli M. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome after 30 years treatment with clozapine: a rarely seen differential diagnosis on intensive care units. Anasthesiol Intensivmed Notfallmed Schmerzther. 2006;41:125-127.

6. Brown TM. Clozapine, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, and pancerebellar syndrome. Psychosomatics. 1999;40:518-520.

7. Kopf A, Koster J, Schulz A, Kromker H, Becker T. Life threatening neuroleptic malignant syndrome due to olanzapine. Psychiatr Prax. 2003;30:279-282.

8. Clozapine-induced Bowel Infarction: A Case Report. McKinnon ND, Azad A, Waters BM, Joshi KG. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2009 Mar;6(3):30-35.

9. Australas Psychiatry. 2008 Jun;16(3):216-9.Life-threatening constipation associated with clozapine.Rege S, Lafferty T.

10. Risperidone-associated increase in triglyceride levels. Weinbrenner A, Peus V, Inta D, Englisch S, Zink M. Am J Psychiatry. 2009 Jan;166(1):113-4.

11. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of schizophrenia. Peet M. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2008;45(1):19-25. Review.

12. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2568821/organic_treatments_in_psychiatry.html?cat=68

13. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2561011/physical_diseases_with_psychiatric.html?cat=68

14. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2532025/nutrition_and_psychiatry.html?cat=68