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Cereal-Free Diet Relapsed Schizophrenics: More Rapid Improvement On A Milk-And
Cereal-Free Diet Relapsed Schizophrenics: More Rapid Improvement On A Milk-And
Cereal-Free Diet Relapsed Schizophrenics: More Rapid Improvement On A Milk-And
Cereal-free Diet
F. C. DOHAN, J. C. GRASBERGER, F. M. LOWELL, H. T. JOHNSTON, Jnr. and ANN W. ARBEGAST
BJP 1969, 115:595-596.
Access the most recent version at DOI: 10.1192/bjp.115.522.595
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the knowledge of the ward staff or patients, about thesized for coeliac disease, deserve investigation.
19 g. of wheat gluten per man per day was added The irregular response of coeliac patients to ingestion
to the cereal-free diet during period 2. Durmg this or avoidance of gluten and the occasional severe
period, 19 of the 39 relapsed schizophrenics in the reaction to a small amount require consideration in
cereal-free plus gluten group and 22 of the 45 relapsed similar studies on schizophrenic patients.
schizophrenics in the high-cereal group were released
on or before the “¿median
day―of the combined SUMMARY
groups. It thus seems unlikely that non-specific Relapsed schizophrenic men randomly assigned to
psychological effects on patients or staff accounted for a milk- and cereal-free diet on admission to a locked
the more rapid release of the cereal-free group in ward were released to an open ward considerably
period I. more rapidlythan thoseassigneda high-cereal
diet
(p = 0.009). When gluten was secretly added to the
No Effect of Diet in Non-schizophrenics cereal-free diet this difference did not occur. Release
Of the 50 non-schizophrenics (mostly depressive of non-schizophrenic patients was not related to diet.
reaction, anxiety reaction, or chronic brain syndrome) These findings support the hypothesis that ingestion
randomized to the cereal-free or high-cereal diet of cereals may be pathogenic for those with the geno
during period @,half of each group were released type for schizophrenia. However, results such as
from the locked ward on or before the “¿median day―. these obviously require rigorous independent testing.
There was also no significant difference (p 0@15)
during period 2 in which 9 of the 23 non-schizo Aciwowi.anoaiz@rs
phrenics randomized to the cereal-free plus gluten We thankProf. JohannesIpsenforhelpinstatistical
diet and 15 of the 25 randomized to the high-cereal analysis and Mrs. Marie Robinson, Mrs. Emily Peters
diet were released on or before the “¿median
day―. and their associates
forco-operation
The workwas aided
by the Scottish Rite Schizophrenia Research Program,
the National Association for Mental Health, and the
DIscussIoN
NutritionFoundation.
These clinical studies support the hypothesis that
cereals play a role in the pathogenesis of overt symp REFERENCES
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F. C. Dohan, M.D., F.A.C.P., Associate, William Pepper Laboralo@yof Clinical Medicine, Hospital oft/se
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
J. C. Grasberger,M.D.,AssistantChiefofStaff(Psychiatry)
F. M. Lowell, M.D.,Psychiatrist
H. T. Johnston, Jr., Ph.D., Psychologist
Ann W. Arbegast, B.S., Assistant Chief; Dietetic Service Veterans
Administration Hospital, Coatesville, Pennsylvania 19320