WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEI)NLSDAY, OCTOBER â24, 1979, PAGE 11i Dialyi may cure .,schizoph renia By MICHAEL KNELL '~ I Free Press Staff "The commonest pychosis- that there 18 "«may have'a new cure tbanks ta a resear- chbproject being done at the Whltby ?sychlatrld Hospital. 4' Under the direction of Dr. Ian Bond and Dr. H. Katherine Elek, the resear- ehcroectfor corne up wlth a cre orpeople suffering from schlzophrenla. Accordlng ta Bond, 50 ta 70 percent of ail mental in- stitution patients suffer from scbizophrenla. - The projeet la studying the effecta of bemodialysis on the symptams < f schlzoprena and is one of 30 centre tbroughout, the world maklng this kind of study. The project was tran- sfered to wbltby (rom Lakeshore Psycblatric Hospital when that fadllity was closed down by *the Ministry of Health.- The patients participatlng in the program are ail volun- tary, Bond says, and they must meet a described criteria. The most important criteria is the ability "«to give Informed consent," he says. Thymust also have been diagnosised as being scbizophrenic for more than must be based on the Ainerican model, a system that was fîrst introduced by a psychiatrist named Snyder. "We selected those who had one positive Snyder symptom, " Elek says. they must also have no srious physically iliness. Elek also. says that schizoprhenia is easily misinterpreted and that "changeof personality" was a poor term given to the disease." Elek did not give a definition for the disease but did note some of the sym- ptoms: people suffering (rom schizopbrenia mat become wîthdrawn, they lose their drives, may even suffer hallucinations or have delusions; they become restless, irritable and are constantly racing. She sald that the research 15 based on the assumption that scblzophrenia is a bio- chemical disease caused by the lack 0for the overabun- dance of endorfins in the brain. "lIt i8 the question that we arel trying a M ns-wer with "«I'm hmr because I've been suffering (romn chronic schizophrenia for seven years,"SaM says makii[iig It clear that drugs do not belp bîm that much. - Sam says that dlalysis has an affect. "It does affect you," be saYs, "but it hasn't been a real positive effect.", Before being committed to, a psychiatrie hospital for the first Urne Sam was an arts sttûdent 'at Guelph 'Univer- sity and bis intelligence and awreness of events is evident when someon meets him. lie told the Free Pres that be bas no real job skiJl and bas supported hlmself for the last seven yeas doing odd jobp and maniual labor. he là frequently faced with the bumlllty of being on the welfare roUas (where he ia right no w). However, he bopes to be weil enough ta continue his education in the next year.. Hia medica tion, consists oM tranquillizers which he says be takes as needed but that be doesn't like using them. "The side effects are very undesirable, " he says. "If I don't get better .I'm afraid PUi have to get a pen- sion, " he says. H1e describd himself as being "pretty normal" and that he would like to learn a clerical skill 80 that he can improve bims employment prospects.. THE PREMIS 0F THE EXPER IMENT Bond described scbizopbrenia as being a " grosa thought disroder. " Elek said that a person with schizophrenia "Imight flot be able to reach the con- clusion of the thought" and that they,-"can'trelate.to things." 'Bond says that the premais of the experiernent 18 that schlzophrenia may be a metabolic or blo-chemical disorder and that it 18 brought on by a lack of or an over-abundance 'of endor- phins or a certain kind of en- dorphln. Bond further described endorfins as being a group Mf neuro-hormones that are 44recognlzed bas as baving ta do with the normalcy of the, barin."p Bond said tbat the dialysis process filera out the endor- fins and,< that reent discoveries bave. shown the peopl e 1wltb schizophrenia have a substance cailed betalue e endorfins whicb have a slight chemical dif-- ferenoe (rom 1tbe inormal' hormore. Hedid say however, "we don't know what we're taking out." Bond and Elek are claimlng a 30 ta 40 per cent succese rate. Eleck said tbat the cure is not perfect because the patient may stiil suifer (rom many social and vocational problems. "Removal of their schizopbrenlc symptoms does not turn them into a normal, person. Tbey need a lot o(M help- to- return to a normalized ifestyle," he said. CONT'D ON PG. 18 THE CORPORATION 0F THE TOWN '0F' WHITB-Y PROCLAMATION ONTARIO CAREER WEEK TAKE NOTICE THAT October 29 to November 4, 1979, is hereby proclaimed as "Ontarlo*Career Week" in and for the Town ofWhitby. Citizens are urged to recognize that increased emphasis on car eer guidance provides individuals with skills to explore, understand and perform in their life roles. DATED AT WHITBY, ONTARIO THIS 24TH DAY 0F OCTOBER, A.D., 1979. J.C. Gartshore Mayor Townof Whitby HAVE YOU CONSIDERED LEASING'i 1980 FIREBIRD 231 V-6 Automatic Transmission, Power Steering, Power Brakes, Radial Whitewalls, Rear Window Defroster, Sport Mirrors, F loor Mats Body Side Mou ldings, AM Radio, Deluxe Wheel Cover. 36 MONTH NET LEASE " monthly charge of $195 plus tax *3e a kilometer over'7OOOO kilometers "* customer to provide insurance, maintenance & replacement plates, CALL RUSS SLUGG We supply free cow'tesy cars for ail leased cars. *1B Research ai WPH....,