RT Journal
T1 CUrrent comment
JF Journal of the American Medical Association
JO Journal of the American Medical Association
YR 1939
FD April 29
VO 112
IS 17
SP 1729
OP 1729
DO 10.1001/jama.1939.02800170075018
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1939.02800170075018
AB PHENYLPYRUVICA OLIGOPHRENIA 
    A mental condition known as phenylpyruvica oligophrenia, or imbecillitas phenylpyruvica, has recently been described by investigators in Norway,1 England2 and the United States.3 Mentally defective patients suffering from phenylpyruvica oligophrenia characteristically excrete phenylpyruvic acid in the urine, being apparently unable to oxidize and decarboxylate phenylpyruvic acid in a normal manner. The formation of phenylpyruvic acid in the body is thought to result from the oxidative deamination of the essential amino acid phenylalanine. When phenylalanine is fed to persons with this metabolic abnormality, the excretion of phenylpyruvic acid in the urine is increased. The disease is therefore characterized biochemically by the inhibition of the metabolism of phenylalanine at the stage of phenylpyruvic acid. In this connection it is noteworthy that Peters and his collaborators in England have found that the oxidation and decarboxylation of pyruvic acid in certain tissues require the presence of thiamin (vitamin B