BECOMING OF AGE AT MAYO 52R2-244


"Owing to my becoming of age, these [epilepsy, dementia pr.] and


other studies were unavoidably interrupted." 52R2






EPILEPSY, SCHIZOPHRENIA


  Rosenow in 1952 [52R2] (South Dakota M.J., Sept.) reported that


a pregnant mouse, which reveived repeated intracerebral inoculation


of the streptococcus from epilepsy had remained well,


but one of the 4 offspring died in an apparent gran mal seizure several


weeks after birth (the other three remained well). "This occurrence was first considered as


perhaps an example of hereditary epilepsy. However, a pure culture of the


streptococcus was isolated from the


brain in serial dilution cultures in dextrose-brain broth.  The


streptococcus from the end point of growth produced spasms in 19


and convulsions in 16 of 22 mice that were repeatedly inoculated


intranasally."


  Rosenow [52R2], p. 243, "The recovery from symptoms in nervous


states or psychoses following the removal of infected teeth [from


which neurotropic alpha streptococci were isolated, which on


inoculation in rabbits caused extreme excitation; and the favorable


results from the use of vaccines prepared from neurotropic alpha


streptocci] were taken to indicate that a specific type of


streptococcus might be causative of schizophrenia."


  Rosenow [52R2], p. 245, contrasts reactions of rabbits injected


with material from schizophrenia vs. rabbits injected with material


from epilepsy, with greater hyperirritability in the former and


more convulsions in the latter.  Reactions of mice injected with


material from epilepsy exhibited greater incidence of convulsions


than mice injected with material from well controls.






material directly from nasopharynx, tonsils,


infected teeth or dextrose-brain-broth cultures






             Schizophrenia  Idiopathic-Epilepsy  Well-control






                    RABBITS..............  MICE..................






                       77           106      130      44






Hyperirritability      87%          25%


Convulsions             3%          34%       69%      2%










EPILEPSY, SCHIZOPHRENIA


  Rosenow [52R2] p. 245, "Convincing evidence that specific types


of alpha streptococci may in fact be causative of both epilepsy and


schizophrenia have now been obtained during extensive studies at


Longview Hospital [Cincinnati Ohio].


  p. 248, Rosenow found an increase of specific antibodies and


decrease of corresponding antigen in both schizophrenia following


electroshock therapy and in epilepsy following spontaneous gran mal


seizures, indicating "that preformed so-called sessile antibodies


are mobilized during the course of the violent reactions."  Dr.


Rosenow notes that this raises the possibility that an "inherited


constitution affords the very conditions favorable for alpha


streptococci normally present in the throat and elsewhere of human


beings to acquire specific affinity for structures in the brain..."






SCHIZOPHRENIA - ELECTROSCHOCK AND STREPTOCOCCI  52R2


  Effects of electroshock:  "The prompt increase of respective


specific streptococcal antibodies and a decrease of corresponding


antigen in schizophrenia following electrically induced convulsion


during electro-shock treatment and in idiopathic epilepsy following


spontaneously occurring grand mal seizures indicate the presence of


specific types of subclinical streptococcal infections and that


preformed, so-called sessile antibodies are mobilized during the


course of the violent reactions."  [52R2, 248 ]






STREPTOCOCCI AND NEUROTOXINS   52R2


  p. 262, conclusions:


  Streptococci, neurotoxins and schizophrenia:  "the consistent


isolation of alpha streptococci in studies of idiopathic epilepsy


and schizophrenia, the reproduction in important respects of the


disease pictures in animals, the proof of their serologic


specificity by the special methods employed, and the data obtained


in these studies indicate: (1) that persons suffering from epilepsy


and from schizophrenia harbor in nasopharynx, in pulpless teeth,


and sometimes in their blood, specific types of alpha streptococci


of low general but high and specific 'neurotropic' virulence; (2)


that the streptococci produce neurotoxins which have predilection


for certain structures in the brain and thus may play a role in


pathogenesis and (3) that attempts to combat such inapparent


infections specifically by passive and active immunization with the


respective antigens and antibodies are indicated in addition to


present-day methods of prevention and cure."[52R2]


  We are reminded of JC Hurley's recent work [Lancet, 1993 May 1,


341(8853):1133-5] indicating endotoxins encountered in sepsis may


merely comprise markers for transition to wall-deficient bacterial


a smaller phase, thus it is tempting to speculate that this may


also be so in the case of presumed "neurotoxins".