Dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity in brains of chronic schizophrenic patients.

Postmorten brain specimens from nine chronic schizophrenic patients and nine control were assayed for activity of dopamine beta-hydroxylase, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. Unlike the results of previous reports, there was no statistically significant difference in enzyme activity between the patient and control groups. There were, however, significant negative correlations between dopamin beta-hydroxylase activity and the tim spent in the morgue before autopsy, and between enzyme activity of schizophrenics and dosage of chlorpromazine or its equivalent.