Drug-responsive symptoms during early neuroleptic treatment.
Identification of symptoms that are directly responsive to neuroleptic drugs at progressive phases of treatment is important for monitoring drug response and understanding the relationship between neurochemical mechanisms of drug action and disordered behavior. Using multiple regression analyses that controlled for pretreatment severity, we identified those symptoms that improved in direct relation to serum concentrations of perphenazine after 10 days of treatment. Improvement in two positive symptoms of psychosis--hallucinations and conceptual disorganization--appears to be related to perphenazine level and useful for assessment of early drug response.
Mazure
C M
CM
Laboratory Medicine and Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06504.
Nelson
J C
JC
Jatlow
P I
PI
Bowers
M B
MB
D000328:Adult; D001590:Benztropine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010546:Perphenazine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D001590:Benztropine; D010546:Perphenazine; D006220:Haloperidol