by Vanessa Urban, MD; and Rolly Sullivan, MD
Dr. Urban is Clinical Instructor and Dr. Sullivan is Professor, Department of Behavioral Health and Psychiatry, West Virginia University of Medicine, Morgantown, Virginia.
by Atmaram Yarlagadda, MD; Badalin Helvink, MD; Caroline Chou, MD; and Anita H. Clayton, MD
Dr. Yarlagadda is from McDonald Army Health Center, Fort Eustis, Virginia; Dr. Helvink was with the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (at the time of this study) and currently is Chairperson, Department of Psychiatric Medicine, Naples Community Hospital, Naples, Florida; Dr. Chou was with the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (at the time of this study); and Dr. Clayton is David C. Wilson Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia.
Key Words: blood brain barrier, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GAD antibodies, schizophrenia, diabetes mellitus (DM), screening tests
Abstract
Objective: Goal of our case control study was to establish the presence of antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in patients with chronic psychotic disorders. Methods: Serum levels of GAD antibodies in 12 patients with chronic psychotic disorders (schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders) and 10 age-matched healthy control subjects were evaluated utilizing enzyme linked immunosorbitent assay (ELISA). Results: Antibodies to GAD in patients with chronic psychotic disorders have a higher mean than nonpatient control individuals. Conclusion: Our findings provide the first in-vivo evidence of positive GAD antibodies in chronic psychotic disorders and potentially may be used as a screening for these disorders.
