Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2002 Mar;4(2):147-50.
doi: 10.1080/10298420290015827.

The adrenochrome hypothesis of schizophrenia revisited

John Smythies  1
Affiliations

The adrenochrome hypothesis of schizophrenia revisited

John Smythies. Neurotox Res. 2002 Mar.

Abstract

This paper reviews the current status of the adrenochrome theory of schizophrenia. An account is first given of all the experiments in which adrenochrome was reported to induce psychotomimetic effects in normal volunteers. Then the evidence is presented that adrenochrome may actually occur in the brain as a metabolite of adrenaline in the C2 group of adrenergic neurons in the medulla, together with an account of current ideas of the function of these neurons in higher limbic functions. Lastly the recent evidence is reviewed that the gene for the enzyme glutathione S-transferase is defective in schizophrenia. This enzyme detoxifies adrenochrome.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Nervenarzt. 1957 Nov 20;28(11):485-8 - PubMed
    1. Brain Res. 1977 Jan 1;119(1):199-210 - PubMed
    1. Am J Psychiatry. 1958 Feb;114(8):752-3 - PubMed
    1. Am J Psychiatry. 1958 Aug;115(2):162-3 - PubMed
    1. Pharmacopsychiatry. 1991 May;24(3):93-5 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources