Taraxein is a possibly nonexistent

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respon ...

isolated from the blood of patients with schizophrenia, claimed by Robert Galbraith Heath to produce

schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by continuous or relapsing episodes of psychosis. Major symptoms include hallucinations (typically hearing voices), delusions, and disorganized thinking. Other symptoms include social wi ...

-like symptoms when injected into healthy subjects.Heath RG, Mårtens S, Leach BE, Cohen M, Angel C (1957): Effect on behavior in humans with the administration of taraxein. Am J Psychiatry, 114: 14–24. Despite initial interest, attempts at confirmation failed. The results are today commonly assumed to be due to

self-deception Self-deception is a process of denying or rationalizing away the relevance, significance, or importance of opposing evidence and logical argument. Self-deception involves convincing oneself of a truth (or lack of truth) so that one does not reveal ...

.Alan Baumeistera, The Search for an Endogenous Schizogen: The Strange Case of Taraxein, Journal of the History of the Neurosciences: Basic and Clinical Perspectives Volume 20, Issue 2, 2011 p. 106-102 The name is derived from the Greek word τάραξις (taraxis), meaning disordered or confused mind. Taraxein was discovered during the investigation of the hypothesis that

catecholamine A catecholamine (; abbreviated CA) is a monoamine neurotransmitter, an organic compound that has a catechol ( benzene with two hydroxyl side groups next to each other) and a side-chain amine. Catechol can be either a free molecule or a ...

metabolism is altered in schizophrenia. A blue substance was found in extracts from people with schizophrenia but not normal, and it was claimed that when tested on monkeys this produced the abnormal septal activity the experimenters thought was characteristic of schizophrenia. At the 1956 annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association Heath announced that they "had induced full symptoms of schizophrenia" in two nonpsychotic prisoner-volunteers from Louisiana State Penitentiary. This was followed by claims of successful induction of symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia in further subjects. The announcement caught the interest of the popular press and the scientific community. However, the latter was concerned with both the double-blind procedure, claimed total lack of placebo effect, and a failure by an outside team to replicate the findings. When outside further replication failed interest ebbed. Heath continued to stand by taraxein, and later reported that it is associated with

immunoglobulins An antibody (Ab), also known as an immunoglobulin (Ig), is a large, Y-shaped protein used by the immune system to identify and neutralize foreign objects such as pathogenic bacteria and viruses. The antibody recognizes a unique molecule of the ...

, supporting his

autoimmune In immunology, autoimmunity is the system of immune responses of an organism against its own healthy cells, tissues and other normal body constituents. Any disease resulting from this type of immune response is termed an " autoimmune disease" ...

theory of schizophrenia.Heath RG, Krupp IM (1967): Schizophrenia as an immunologic disorder. I: Demonstration of antibrain globulins by fluorescent antibody techniques. Arch Gen Psychiat 16: 1–9. However, outside replication of these results also failed. Taraxein has CAS registry number 9010-30-4.

References

{{reflist Schizophrenia Blood proteins Pathological science