TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuroleptic‐potentiating effect of α‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine compared with haloperidol and placebo in a double‐blind cross‐over trial
AU - Magelund, G.
AU - Gerlach, J.
AU - Casey, D. E.
PY - 1979/8
Y1 - 1979/8
N2 - The hypothesis that schizophrenia results from overactive dopaminergic influences suggests that reducing dopamine synthesis may increase the clinical effects of dopamine receptor blocking neuroleptic drugs. The neuroleptic potentiating role of α‐methyl‐paratyrosine (AMPT), a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, was compared with haloperidol and placebo in a double‐blind cross‐over trial. Both AMPT and haloperidol increased the anti‐schizophrenic effect of neuroleptic treatment in reduced dose compared with placebo (P < 0.05), though two patients relapsed during the AMPT period. Both drugs slightly increased extrapyramidal symptoms, but the effect was greater with haloperidol. The limited antipsychotic effect and the potential for aggravating neurological symptoms suggest that the combination of AMPT and neuroleptics does not offer a superior advantage to treating schizophrenia. AMPT, however, may still be used as a research tool in elucidating pathogenetic mechanisms.
AB - The hypothesis that schizophrenia results from overactive dopaminergic influences suggests that reducing dopamine synthesis may increase the clinical effects of dopamine receptor blocking neuroleptic drugs. The neuroleptic potentiating role of α‐methyl‐paratyrosine (AMPT), a tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor, was compared with haloperidol and placebo in a double‐blind cross‐over trial. Both AMPT and haloperidol increased the anti‐schizophrenic effect of neuroleptic treatment in reduced dose compared with placebo (P < 0.05), though two patients relapsed during the AMPT period. Both drugs slightly increased extrapyramidal symptoms, but the effect was greater with haloperidol. The limited antipsychotic effect and the potential for aggravating neurological symptoms suggest that the combination of AMPT and neuroleptics does not offer a superior advantage to treating schizophrenia. AMPT, however, may still be used as a research tool in elucidating pathogenetic mechanisms.
KW - Alpha‐methyl‐para‐tyrosine (AMPT)
KW - neuroleptics
KW - neurological side effects
KW - schizophrenia
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1979.tb03587.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1979.tb03587.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 41413
AN - SCOPUS:0018291452
SN - 0001-690X
VL - 60
SP - 185
EP - 189
JO - Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
JF - Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
IS - 2
ER -