QEEG alpha 1 changes after a single dose of high-potency neuroleptics as a predictor of short-term response to treatment in schizophrenic patients.
Baseline quantitative electroencephalographic (QEEG) characteristics and their changes after a single test dose of either haloperidol or clopenthixol were investigated in a group of 29 schizophrenics as possible predictors of short-term response to those drugs. On baseline QEEG assessment, responders (R) to subsequent treatment showed fewer slow and more fast activities than nonresponders (NR). A large overlap between R and NR with respect to these measures was observed, however, revealing their practical inadequacy to predict short-term response in individual patients. On the contrary, changes in alpha 1, observed 6 hr after the administration of a single test dose of either haloperidol or clopenthixol, discriminated to a very large extent between R and NR, correctly identifying 17 out of 18 R and 8 out of 10 NR. The QEEG test dose procedure might be used in the selection of the most appropriate antipsychotic drug for individual schizophrenic patients.
Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, Second University of Naples, Italy.
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Galderisi
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Maj
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Mucci
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Bucci
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Kemali
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D003006:Clopenthixol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D003006:Clopenthixol; D006220:Haloperidol