Salivary Alpha-Amylase Activity Levels in CatatonicSchizophrenia Decrease after Electroconvulsive Therapy

Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) in schizophrenia has been detected by electrophysiologicalmethods, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Several studies have suggested that measuring salivary alpha-amylaseactivity levels is useful for evaluating the ANS activity and that sAA levels increase in schizophrenia and correlate with BriefPsychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores. However, no study has examined the relationship between sAA activity levels and symptomsof schizophrenia with catatonic state.Methods. We present the case of a 59-year-old female with persistent catatonic schizophreniatreated by electroconvulsive therapy. We evaluated the ANS activity by measuring sAA activity levels before and after ECT, and weevaluated her symptoms using the BPRS and Bush–Francis Catatonia Rating Scale (BFCRS).Results. ECT was highly effective andBPRS and BFCRS scores substantially decreased. sAA activity levels decreased from 125 kU/l to 33 kU/l.Conclusions. sAA activitylevels could be a potential biomarker of schizophrenia with catatonic state