Orthomolecular Approach to the Treatment of Schizophrenia
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.c= DOCUMENT RESUME ED 123 858 EC 090 226 . _AUTHOR Lall, Geeta Rani . TITLE Grthoolecular Approach to- the Treatment of Schizophrenia, Childhood'Psychoses; and Allied Disorders Such as: Hyperactivity, Autism, Hypoglycemia, and Sub Clinical Pellagra. 1 INSTITUTION Andrews Univ., Berrien Sprints, Mich. Depts of Education. PUB DATE -May 76 15p. EDRS.. PRICE MU-n.83 5C-$1.67 Plus Post'age.. - DESCRIPTORS *Emotionally Disturbed; Exceptional Child Research; *Medical Treatment; *Nutrition; *Psychiatry; ' Psychosis; Schizophrenia IDENTIFIERS Orthomolecular Psychiatry ABSTRACT . Pressnted is research' to support the orthomo lecular rather than the psychodynamic approach to treating schizdpkrenia, psychoses, and allied disorders in c41dren. The orthomolecular approach, also known as orthomolecular psychiatry, is reported to t involve the administration ofmegavitamins (following a study to determine biochemical needs), appropriate diet, exercise, psychbtherapy, and other drugs. Advantages of the orthomolecular approach are noted to include better .treatment results; lest expensive and time-consuming treatment; less guilt feelings and alienation of families; removal of much of the stigma and fear ofthe medical pfoblem because of good prognosis; and more objective, accurate, and easily obtained diagnosis. ISB) -***********A******************************************************* . * DocumentS'acquired'by ERIC include many informal unpublished. 'Jic * .materials not available from other sources. EPIC makes ver effort * * to obtain ,,the best copy. available. Neverth4less, items . marginal * * reproducibility are often encountered and this affects the quality * * of the microfiche and hardcopy reproductions ERIC makes available * * via the EPIC Dowlent Reproduction Service (EbRS). EDRS is not * * responsible for the - quality of the original document. Teproductions'.* * supplied by EDRS are the best tiat can be made fiom the original. * ********44*****************************4********4********************** ,-, VI .. 1114, "" D o- --; 1. US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH EDUCATION &WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION .S DOtuMENT HAS BEEN REPRO. DoCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN- 4TNO +7 POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPPE SEW OFFICIAL NATIONAL INS', TuTE OF. EbuCA,40T. POSITION OR POLICY A. "`",- ". ORTHOMOLECULAR APPROACH TO THE.MAIMItht OF SCHI7bPHRENIA, CHIIDH.00D PSY,: :e AND ALLIED DISORDERS SUCH AS HYPERACTIVITY, =ISM, HYPOGLYCEMr AM SUB CLINICAL PELLAGRA, by ''"=,.e.ta Rani Lall, Ph.D., . S Astant Profes:sor of F.rlyChildhoo4-40 Special' Educcsticti" . rtirk I --?,..:4k, May -1.a.76, ''',t.f@ '-N%''-..,..:.;,.,..s. i v'1.11 . '''....p,i.441 - 2 . ' 5, ; , 4' . , Orthcinoledular Approach , .. 1 CIrthomolecular.Approadh to theTreatment of Schizophrenia, Childhood Psychoses, and AlliedDisorders Such As: ... Hyperactivity, Autisn,Hypoglycemia,' ; -- -and.Sub...Clinical Pellagra, . allied disorders Children afflicted with-childhoodpsychoses and work. suffer markedly in formallearning. Their behavior disorders _ . - learn. Furthermore, their against their naturaltendency and capacity to behavior is often bizarre andmarkedby-intense hyperactivity and learning, emotional; andsocial ritualism. Thesechildren have extreme adjustment- problems. , t ,z causes andcures Much research has beenconducted to determine the of of'these disorders from thepsychologidal and physiological-points prempesideveloped ate 1) thepsychodynamic view. TWo of, the major The psycliodynamic conce concept.and 2) theorthomolecular approach: is criticized as lackingin. scientifV.prol. teition" oriented Kahan (1973) stated thatthe psyChodynamicor occurrences, or .' approach.is based upon thepremise that chile later life, including traumas, cos bring aboutmental disorders Furthermore,,tengion stgain, and unresolvedprdblems can schizophrenia. /1 J theory result in patho gicaldisorder linClu in the"psychodynamic 1 . ,. alienation is the lack of cannunicatio ,family-soca. ty pressures,,. and w 1 Kahan'crinued to pointpoint outthat asthecause of"mebta llness. I asiriOe casefor proof, yet they althoughthes-t -ories donothave . .. , , I ow° f / 1 Orthcnolecular Approach = 2 are usedFs the basis for diagnosis andtreatment bY therapists through- cut the western world. According to many researchers, not only is there klack.of evidence, I .to support the PosYchodynamic,theory, but in reality it is a handiCap in the field of psychiatry. Bindra (1959) stated that the available I research suggests that' the psychodynamic approach has turned out to be a , "wrong lead." Cott (1970) strongly denounced the excluSive use of drugs., or the psychodynamic approach to cure mental illness and other learning diabilities resulting from,it, , Cott, who isa physician, advocated the orthomolecular treatment researched and founded by Abraham Hoffer and Humphry Usmond. He said, I,. My associates and Ihave carried on research on-the molecular i . basis, of mental disease for:15 years. I am increasingly con- vinced that the provision'of the optimuM2oncentrationssof substancesnormally', presentin the body, in addition 4to other therapeutic mbthods, is the best treatment presently avail- . ,able to schizophrenics., Eecauqe..of their pifferentgenetic O constitution,,many-sthitophrenics may need an intake of,vita- t .mtins not provided by a'normal diet in order toAachieve the optimum molecular environment for. their Minds. ' . , The Orthomolecul5r App4ach i, What, then, is the orthatialecular approach in the treatmnt °V i schizophrenia, childhoOd psychoses,,and allied disorders? 4vIn r "ent .., I:4.1. ears, in the school of4psythi try believe that human thougnt _. .. tatterns: emotions, and actions are affected by th&physical condition . - icy L Orth9molecular Approach t 3 of the body and that the nervous system cannotteexpected to Perfoin its many complicated functions without proper chemical balance (Ross, 7.974). 0. Hilshe4Mer -(1972) pointed out an inteiesting consideration ih terms of biochemical imbalance and learning'` disability. He said, Only wheri the child has a normal internal environment can'WL4' / A learb, grovi, and function; otherwie, the biochemical imbalance .makes him unresponsive to practically all .types of learning and or% leads him rapidly into worse behavioral problems. Fulq. education is made incredibly,difficult _without correcti the biological dysfunctioy. / The orthomolecular approach involves theadmiiiistra 5/1 of mega- vitamins (massive -doses of vitamin 114--niacin--and vi C),appro- priate diet, exercise, psychotherapy, and other typesof drugs. * I a thorough study is done to determine thebiochemi needs, and proper doses of megavitamins are prescribed. This trea nt is also known as orthomolecular pgYchiatry. In the.early 1950's; Abraham Hoffer ,and H hxy Oswald brought the,orthomolecular treatment from theory to p tice by giving niacin to , Sensory distor- 4 schizophrenics in the Province'of Saskatch Canada. .0* tions and hillucinationscharacteristic ofshizophrenia may be the\ result of a chemical known as adrenochroMe. This is a naturally occurring chemiCal-that is formed during te oXidation of adrenalin. Intqestingly, during World War II, adrenlin was used in anesthesia. 'Adrgliochrome, found in old; discolored pplies, of adrenalin, proved to , 01 a. ' r" Otthdmolecular Approach - 4 . chemical themselves cause hallucinaons. Hoffer and CSmond took this thoughts, motions, and and 'reported hai.:e experienced distortIonsin They'alSo"theorized 'perceptions lar to schizd'phrenic patients. ' the formation of apenalinand / that, large untsof niacin could reduce the fact that the first adrenoc - What appeared most striking was through the ortho- eight sc phrenic'patients recovered completely reported .as astounding. molecularreatment. These early results were eight'patienis remained well at the A follow%-. p study revealedthat ill end of ,1' years. ! formal%experiments wereconducted by Hoffer and Ormond with therapy and various other . more p.. lents. They used electroconvulsive addition to the'niacin therapy. trea ntS available.ai that time; in experimkis; patibnts receivingniacin, Intertingly enough,*in both relapses than patientswho'receiVed imp ed significantly withfence niacin (Ross, 1974)., othe forms of:treatment with no been Since the early.1950's, theorthomolecular treptment has professionals. ,Cott (1969)main rest ched,by others and-used by many mind,to function properly,%thebrain requires 't ed that' in order for the Mental illness, which iscldsely ules of many differentsubstanoes. [ in 'fated With physical disease, is the'result of low concentrations vitamins: 'Thiamine (B ),Nicotinic Acid of,.. rain of the following 1 . Acid and cotin 'de (B3), Pyridoxine,(B6)',Biotin (B12), Ascorbic evidence to believe that is Acid. Furthermore, there is sufficient , . affected by changes in unlan:)ehaVior and general mental functions, are gamma=aminolputyric acid, he concentration in thebrain of uric acid, ..i Orthomolecular.Approdh t . Q 6 4 these children showed greater appreciation for people about them. The . progress appeared to be directly, proportional to the length of treatment. ., ,3. -1Ounger'dhildren between the ages of three and eight respondqd,better than did older persons (Cott, 1969). Currently, research investigatiOnis.continuing in the importanceof diet in the creation of an optimum molecular environment for the brain. Dr. Vitale and Velez reported on the grillage of Heliconia, Colombia, . population 5,00044tere babies