Vitamin B₆ as treatment of psychotropic drug-induced movement disordersand add-on treatment of schizophrenia

Vitamin B₆ gained immense significance with the discovery in the 1940s of its important role in animal and human nutrition. It is involved in about 100 enzymatic reactions in the body. The most important of these are transamination, decarboxylation, cleavage reactions, substance synthesis, transsulfhydration, desulfhydration, and racemization. Vitamin B6 deficiency causes a broad spectrum of both physical and mental symptoms. The aims of this chapter were to summarize contemporary data concerning 1) vitamin B6 and psychotic symptoms; 2) its influence on homocysteine serum level; and 3) vitamin B6 use for psychotropic drug-induced movement disorders. The data cumulated to date demonstrate that vitamin B6 may be effective in treating psychotropic druginduced movement disorders, as in the case of acute movement disturbances as well as tardive movement disorders. The influence on psychotic symptoms was not confirmed, and further studies with higher doses of the vitamin are indicated.