Reduced concentrations of galanin, arginine vasopressin, neuropeptide Y and peptide YY in the temporal cortex but not in the hypothalamus of brains from schizophrenics.

Postmortem investigations were performed in brains from 14 schizophrenic patients and 21 controls matched for age and autopsy latency. Concentrations of galanin, delta-sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), arginine vasopressin (AVP), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and peptide YY (PYY) were determined in the hypothalamus and grey matter from the temporal cortex. A significant positive correlation between age and the concentrations of galanin and CRF was found in the controls. No sex differences were found except a higher mean of CRF in the hypothalamus of the women. In the temporal cortex of the schizophrenic brains, galanin, AVP, NPY and PYY were significantly reduced. DSIP reduction only bordered on significance. CRF was not reduced. Comparing neuroleptic-treated vs non-treated schizophrenics, the treatment factor could not explain the reduced concentrations of neuropeptides in the temporal lobe. A comparison of controls with schizophrenics showed no significant differences in hypothalamic neuropeptide concentrations.