Adrenal Activity in Aged Schizophrenics 



223 



Table II 



Relationship Between Basal Values for Creatinine And Other 

 Urinary Metabolites in Elderly Men 



*AI1 correlation coefficients are statistically significant. 



and uric acid. This degree of co-variance furnishes additional 

 evidence for the renal origin of creatinine variation in the 

 aged. As a result of the excellence of the relationships, we 

 have analysed all the urinary data on the basis of creatinine 

 ratios and they will be so presented. 



The mean values for the two groups of subjects during 

 the ACTH test are shown in Table III. 



The normal subjects have higher initial levels of eosinophils, 

 a finding noted in younger groups (Pincus et al., 1949). 

 The difference is not statistically significant, however, in 

 this group. The eosinopenia follows similar trends in both 

 groups, again with no statistical significance. This, too, has 

 also been noted in younger groups of subjects by Pincus et al. 

 (1949) and Hoagland et al. (1953). The response of the 

 eosinophils to the administration of ACTH cannot be used, 

 therefore, as a point of differentiation between normal and 

 schizophrenic subjects at any age. Ageing itself, apparentl3% 

 has no effect upon the basal eosinophil level according to 

 Olbrich (1947) or upon the eosinopenic response to ACTH 

 (Solomon and Shock, 1949). In connection with the magni- 

 tude of this response (a 48 per cent fall) note should be 

 taken of the diurnal variation in eosinophils observed by 

 Stevenson, Metcalf and Hobbs (1953) that from 8.00 a.m. 



