Calcium metabolism and mental disorder

Abstract

This is an uncertain, neglected and misunderstood corner of organic psychiatry. Calcium disturbances are clinically the concern of physicians interested in bone diseases, in malabsorption or nutritional deficiencies, and opinions vary on whether such illnesses are accompanied by emotional and behavioural disorder: at least psychiatrists are not usually called in. Parathyroid disease is generally granted to have frequent psychiatric accompaniments (e.g. see Granville-Grossman, 1971) but is very rare in the psychiatric clinic, and possibly under-diagnosed there. Laboratory aids tend to be underused or inadequately applied. Total plasma calcium as a screening test cannot be understood without at least a plasma protein measurement as well; but serum phosphate, parathormone and plasma 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol levels, urinary calcium and magnesium, and Ca45, may all have roles in fuller investigation (Nordin, 1976).