Plasma noradrenaline and clinical psychopathology in schizophrenia: a correlation analysis

Plasma noradrenaline was assayed in schizophrenics selected according to research diagnostic criteria. Clinical symptomatology was simultaneously rated according to the comprehensive psychopathological rating scale. Global psychopathology, positive (delusional, hallucinatory), negative (autistic), paranoid and hallucinatory symptomatology were separately rated. Noradrenaline was significantly higher in schizophrenics than in a normal control group. A correlation analysis was applied to both psychopathology and plasmatic noradrenaline levels. Noradrenaline was significantly correlated (p