1986 Volume 3 Pages 79-87
An open clinical trial of oyster extract, which contains a large quantity of zinc, 2-3g per day, was performed in 10 inpatients with hebephrenia. These patients were maintained on antipsychotic drugs without dosage modification during 3 months.
To evaluate its clinical effect, various tests such as Rorschach Test, Minnesota Multiple Personality Inventory, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Uchida-kraepelin Psychodiagnostic Test and Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale were carried out before administration and after 3 months of administration of oyster extract.
Almost all negative symptoms improved to some extent in 10 cases for 3 months, and especially the improvement of loss of drive and intellectual impairment were prominent. Favourable clinical improvement was achieved in two subchronic cases.
The values of Zn and Cu in serum and 24-hour urine, when determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, showed remarkable changes between two groups, which were separated from the point of 10 years duration of illness into the subchronic and chronic groups.
Zinc levels were low in the chronic group before administration, and became lower in serum and urine of the subchronic group after administration of oyster extract accompanying clinical improvement. High serum Cu levels were determined in 2 cases corresponding with positive symptoms.
The values of serum Cu/Zn levels were low in the subchronic group before administration and the increase of the value of ratio in the subchronic group after administration of oyster extract was four times greater than that of the chronic group.
Thus, Zn-Cu dysmetallosis is suspected to be a possible pathological factor of hebephrenia.
