Abstract
The authors discuss the last five years work of the Saskatchewan group and develop their hypothesis relating adrenaline metabolites to schizophrenia. They also discuss work done in other centres. They indicate some of the difficulties encountered not only in synthesizing adrenochrome and adrenolutin but also in working experimentally with them in human subjects. The successful synthesis of pure stable adrenochrome and adrenolutin has made chemical assay possible. Using their adrenochrome assay, they have found differences between adrenochrome metabolism in normals and schizophrenics. While these require exploration the authors believe that their hypothesis is strong enough to warrant attention or to see whether others can confirm their findings. While adrenochrome and adrenolutin are at present the only metabolites of adrenaline which can be obtained as pure stable compounds and have psychotomimetic properties, there is suggestive evidence that others will be found.
Osmond, H., & Hoffer, A. (1959). Schizophrenia: A new approach (continued). The British Journal of Psychiatry, 105(440), 653-673. https://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.105.440.653
Link to full text
