Phospholipids and calcium alterations in platelets of schizophrenic patients.

Alterations in phospholipid metabolism in blood elements have been proposed as the possible biochemical marker of schizophrenia. In the present study, we investigated the composition and membrane distribution of phospholipids in platelets of drug-free schizophrenic patients and controls. We have demonstrated that platelets of drug-free schizophrenics have significantly higher cytosolic Ca2+ levels in comparison with healthy controls.

[Phospholipase A2 in schizophrenia].

The objective of the present work was to evaluate on the basis of the authors' data and data in the literature the role of phospholipase A2 in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. The authors submit available literature pertaining to the problem as well as their own experimental findings. Based on the submitted facts, it cannot be states that phospholipase A2 is a specific marker of schizophrenia.

[ATPase activity, endogenous depression, lithotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy].

The author gives a brief account of the action of ATP-ases in the organism. He describes the effect of different substances on the action of these enzymes, whereby special attention is paid to the action of psychopharmaceutical preparations, incl. lithium salts, on the activity of Na+K(+)-ATP-ase.

Insulin binding to erythrocytes and fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membrane phospholipids in healthy men.

The relationship between specific insulin binding to insulin receptors on erythrocytes and erythrocyte membrane phospholipid fatty acid pattern was evaluated in 11 healthy men. A significant negative correlation between insulin binding and the proportion of w-6 family essential fatty acids, especially linoleic acid (r = -0.82, p less than 0.

Erythrocyte insulin receptor characteristics and erythrocyte membrane lipid composition in healthy men.

The cell membrane plays an important role in the mechanism of insulin action. To test whether erythrocyte insulin receptor characteristics are related to the erythrocyte membrane lipid composition, 11 healthy volunteers were studied. The relationship between insulin binding to erythrocytes, the number of receptors per cell and the affinity of receptors to insulin on the one hand and total phospholipid fatty acid (FA) composition and cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio in the erythrocyte membrane on the other hand were evaluated.