Serum calcium and magnesium in schizophrenia: relationship to clinical phenomena and neuroleptic treatment

Abstract

Serum calcium and magnesium were studied in drug-free and neuroleptic-treated schizophrenic patients. Calcium and magnesium were not significantly different in 31 unmedicated schizophrenic patients compared with normal controls. Serum calcium was altered, however, in two subgroups: (1) Patients who remitted after neuroleptic withdrawal were significantly lower in calcium than those who did not remit; (2) catatonic schizophrenic patients appeared to have an increased calcium at the onset of catatonic stupor. Patients treated with pimozide were found to have a significant decreased in both calcium and magnesium compared with their drug-free values. These same patients showed a similar decrease in both electrolytes during treatment with fluphenazine, a structurally different neuroleptic drug.