Clozapine-induced EEG abnormalities and clinical response to clozapine.
The authors hypothesized that patients who develop gross EEG abnormalities during clozapine treatment would have a less favorable outcome than patients who did not develop abnormal EEGs. The clinical EEGs and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) scores of 12 patients with schizophrenia and 4 patients with schizoaffective disorder were compared before and during treatment with clozapine. Eight patients developed significant EEG abnormalities on clozapine; 1 showed worsening of an abnormal pre-clozapine EEG; none of these subjects had clinical seizures. BPRS scores improved significantly in the group of patients who developed abnormal EEGs but not in the group who did not. Findings are consistent with previous reports of a high incidence of clozapine-induced EEG abnormalities and a positive association between these abnormalities and clinical improvement.
Risby
E D
ED
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Epstein
C M
CM
Jewart
R D
RD
Nguyen
B V
BV
Morgan
W N
WN
Risch
S C
SC
Thrivikraman
K V
KV
Lewine
R L
RL
D000328:Adult; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D003024:Clozapine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D012016:Reference Values; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted
D003024:Clozapine