The British Journal of Psychiatry 133: 143-149 (1978)
© 1978 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Serum calcium and magnesium in schizophrenia: relationship to clinical phenomena and neuroleptic treatment
PE Alexander, DP Van Kammen and WE Bunney Jr
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.