Rod (nemaline) bodies in the skeletal muscle of an acute schizophrenic patient

Rod bodies with all the characteristics of rods found in previous cases of congenital and lateonset nemaline muscle disease were present in 40 percent of the skeletal muscle fibers in a biopsy of the right vastus lateralis muscle of an acute schizophrenic patient obtained immediately after the patient’s first and only psychotic episode. The rods were present almost exclusively in type II fibers. Numerous scattered atrophic type II fibers and hypertrophied type I fibers were also present. Despite these muscle abnormalities, no weakness was detectable. A biopsy of the left vastus lateralis muscle two years later showed smaller collections of rods in 7 percent of type II fibers and only slight atrophy or hypertrophy. Possible causes of rods in this patient (and seven other psychotic or latently psychotic patients) are discussed.