Activity of aryl sulfatase a enzyme in patients with schizophrenic disorders
Alvarez Leal, M.; Castillo Solís, T.; Pérez Zuno, J.A.; Vargas Ramos, I.; Sepúlveda García, R.; Zúñiga Charles, M.A.
Revista de Investigacion Clinica; Organo del Hospital de Enfermedades de la Nutricion 47(5): 387-392
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0034-8376 PMID: 8584809 Document Number: 442647
Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is a degenerative disease caused by the deficiency of aryl sulfatase (ASA). It can course with psychiatric symptoms. We determined the prevalence of ASA deficiency in a group of 23 patients with presumable schizophrenia. The median serum ASA was 53.2 nmol/mL/h (range 3.3-152.5). Six patients (26%) showed low ASA activity (< 27.5 nmol/mL/h which is the lowest value observed in 29 normal controls); five of them had clinical history of delusions of grandeur, auditive hallucinations, multiple hospitalizations, low response to neuroleptics, and abnormal evoked potentials. It is probable that the schizophrenic symptoms in these patients may be due to the enzyme deficiency. We conclude that the assay is useful in clinical practice as it may help to identify cases of MLD in patients with suspected schizophrenia.