Clinical and Biochemical Studies of Families of Schizophrenic Patients

Previous studies from the Lafayette Clinic have reported a protein factor, identified by the L/P ratio, found in significantly greater concentration in the plasma of chronic schizophrenic patients than in that of some control subjects. Other schizophrenic patients clinically very similar do not have the factor. Family members of high-factor patients were more likely to have elevated L/P ratios than were family members of low-factor patients. In this study, 117 family members of the patients were seen for psychiatric evaluation and psychological testing. In these family members schizophrenic symptomatology was not found to correlate with elevation of the L/P ratio. The authors conclude that the protein factor is not directly related to clinical manifestations of schizophrenia.