The British Journal of Psychiatry 139: 112-117 (1981)
© 1981 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Propranolol in schizophrenia. II. Clinical and biochemical aspects of combining propranolol with chlorpromazine
M Peet, DN Middlemiss and RA Yates
Ten hospitalized chronic schizophrenic patients were given chlorpromazine
alone and chlorpromazine plus high dose propranolol in two 7-week treatment
periods according to a randomized crossover design. In the six patients who
completed the whole study, plasma levels of chlorpromazine and
chlorpromazine sulphoxide, total serum levels of neuroleptic and serum
levels of prolactin were consistently and significantly elevated during
treatment with chlorpromazine plus propranolol relative to levels during
treatment with chlorpromazine alone. These effects are sufficient to
explain previously reported clinical improvement in schizophrenic patients
given propranolol in addition to neuroleptics.