만성 정신분열병 환자에 있어서의 Dexamethasone 억제 검사 및 Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone 자극검사

D exam ethasone Suppression Test and Thyrotropin -Releasing Horm one Stim ulation Test in Chronic Schizophrenics

This study was designed for evaluation of neuroendocrine abnormalities in the chronic schizophrenics by using DST and TRH stimulation test. We divided 36 male chronic schizophrenic patients into positive, mixed, negative subgroups by the Andreasen and Olsen criteria(1982), and then evaluated the difference among these groups. The results were as follows; 1) The mean serum cortisol levels of baseline and post-DST were higher in schizophrenics than controls(P〈0.01), and the mean baseline serum TSH levels was lower in schizophrenics than controls(P〈0.05). Also, the mean serum cortisol levels of post DST was higher in positive subgroups than controls(〈0.05), and the mean baseline TSH level was lower in mixed subgroup than controls(< 0.05). 2) In 36 schizophrenics, 10 patients (2 7 .8 ^ ) were categorized as DST nonsuppressors and 11 patients(30.6%) were as blunted responder of TRH stimulation test, and 4 patients (11% ) showed both abnormal findings, and 17 patients(47.2%) showed abnormal findings in either test. 3) Negative symptom score was lower in DST nonsuppression group(P〈0.05), but in TRH test, there was no significant difference between positive and negative scores. 4) The mean baseline serum TSH level was significantly low in blunted responder of TRH test(〈0.05). 5) There was no signiticant difference in TSH between DST nonsuppressor and suppressor, so we coulde’t not find out correlation between HPA-axis dysfunction and blunted response of TRH test.