HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rodnight, R. Articles by McIlwain, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rodnight, R. Articles by McIlwain, H.

Indicanuria and the Psychosis of a Pellagrin

Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry (British Postgraduate Medical Federation, University of London) Maudsley Hospital

ABSTRACT

1. A boy who developed pellagra with marked mental disturbance on an apparently normal diet, did not show unusual quantities of urinary nicotinamide acid, nicotinamide or N-methylnicotinamide on an ordinary diet nor on one supplemented with additional nicotinamide.
   
2. He showed unusually high persistent indicanuria, excreting about 280 mg./day of indican.
   
3. A survey of indicanuria in children indicated the average excretion to increase with age, the value in the boy's contemporaries being less than 100 mg./day.
   
4. Where as indicanuria has in the past been thought to be connected with mental disorder through the toxic action of indole or associated materials, it is now suggested that such connection can be due to a diversion of tryptophane metabolism from more essential routes.