I've recently read that schizophrenics emit through their sweat ducts a certain chemical called trans-3-methyl-hexanoic acid. This agent also (probably unnoticably to most) causes them to smell differently to others as it is an aromatic chemical. One source suggested that this chemical may be a vestige of phermones residual from a time when we may have relied on these for comunication with the psychoactive effect being routed to the possibility that persons who emit this chemical are perceiving a distorted reality because they are reacting to their own phermones. This is, of course, speculative. I have so far been unable to locate much information regarding this chemical, what is known about it, and if and how it affects the neurochemistry of persons diagnosed with schizophrenic disorders. If anyone knows about this, or can refer me to a resource wherein I can discover more please send it along!
Schizophrenia odor Hi Yogamojo: Some info about schizophrenia odor 1- Failure to detect trans-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid in the sweat of schizophrenic patients. Clin Chim Acta 1970 Dec; 30 (3) 721-5. Perry Tl and cols. 2- Biochemical relatioship between Kriptopyrrole (mauve factor) and trans-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid (schizophrenic odor). Res Comun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1973 Jan 5(1) 9-15. Krischer and cols. 3- Studies of trans-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid in normal and schizophrenic patients. J Lipid Res 1973 Jul 14 (4) 495-503. Gordon SG and cols. 4- Lipids and Schizophrenia. Br J Psychiatry 1999 Jul 175: 88-9. Swain S and cols. 5- Methods for the preparation of trans-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid, the malodourous component of schizophrenia sweat. J Pharma Sci 1972 Feb 61 (2) 316-7. Smith RV and cols. 6- Comments on a proposed mechanism of formation of the "schizophrenic odor factor". Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol 1973 Jul 6 (1) 335-6. Grant FW. 7- Kryptopyrrole and other monopyrroles in molecular neurobiology. Int Rev Neurobiol 1974, 16 (0) 145-82. Irvine DG 8- www.rci.rutgers.edu/~lwh/drugs/chap07.htm
¿No more leads? There must be more info out there, I just can't seem to find any...Dead ends are what I keep meeting. Ah vell...
I poked around a bit - the only reference I could turn up was an archived forum posting from 1987. Perhaps you might use the "Weiner" name or locate more posts within this archive that would help. Peace.
whooops! One more: http://ftp.univ-lyon1.fr/wais/wais-sources/ROCAD-Olfaction.doc-Lyon.cat A monster text page (1.7MB) with a plethora of indexed documents. Many instances of "schizophrenia" and "olfactory epithelia". It unfortunately is held in a WAIS (Wide Area Information System) database and will take some work to get at the actual documents. It may or may not be worth your effort. Peace.
Thanks Goofyfish... The first bit of info was helpful, but that link was as unwieldy as you warned...I'm making slow progress on this: but progress is progress, right? The usual search engines aren't helpful when searching for trans-3-methyl-hexanoic acid or trans-3-methyl-2-hexenoic acid, both of which I have found to be in association with schizophrenia. The more specialized sites get you a little further, but it seems like no one wants to venture a yea or nay…
Kryptopirroluria Hi Yogamojo: quote " It is believed that elevated levels of urinary pyrroles indicates B6 and magnesium deficiency, and 20 % de schizophrenic persons have kryptopirroluria" go to www.asu.edu and there search kryptopyrroles..(the original link doesn't work) Can Nutrients supplements modify brain functions? : American Journal of Clinical Nutrition vol 71, No. 6, 1669S-1673S, June 2000 Zinc and manganese in the schizophrenias http://www.orthomed.org/links/papers/pffschz.htm Is it possible to block the pathway of "mauve factor" production just adding vitamins supplements or trace elements?, and if so, can this modify the abnormal behavior in some schizophrenic persons?
mauve Yogamojo: Other links I found: Mauve...Malvaria www.hputest.nl/literatuur.htm Chronic schizophrenic patients treated 10 years or more www.orthomed.org/links/papers/hofschz.htm The discovery of Kryptopirrole:Schizophrenia and criminal behavior www.healthy.net/library/Journals/ortho/issue10.1/ed10-1--.htm Malvaria Syndrome www.medway.de/page2.html
Mayo Clinic Site Yogamojo, I just did an AOL keyword search, and there's this site that looks really good, which I haven't read yet myself, just stopped in here on my way to a murder case discussion to maybe find a thread in which to say hello for the day. Will you update us on what you find out? I think there's a message board forum there and maybe a chat. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Just a thought on this old post from recent upsergence in certain clandenstine area's. Could such chemical be derived from a radiodecay effect of the body's molecules, namely creating the by-product of an isotope. An answer could be concluded from the new methods of cancer treatment by testing the patients being treated for the isotope before and after treatment. If that is the case then "Schizophrenics" are suffering from some external radiofrequency source that is causing it to happen. (I recently pondered the research into "anti-personal weaponry" which might have covered methods of trying to cause the human brain to produce chemicals to upset enemy soldiers or enhance the prowess of their own.)
Schizophrenia The cause of schizophrenia is not yet known. There is some evidence that schizophrenia may run in families. It may also be caused by problems with the way the brain develops before birth that create changes in the way neurotransmitter systems function. Schizophrenia may also be related to problems experienced during pregnancy that can damage a baby's developing nervous system, such as malnutrition, or exposure to an infection, such as influenza virus, that damages the developing brain. Schizophrenia is probably caused by a combination of these factors, and symptoms may be triggered by stressful events that occur in a person's life. Source: WebMD