Negative symptoms in nondeficit syndrome respond to neuroleptic treatment with changes in plasma homovanillic acid concentrations.
Deficit syndrome (DS) in schizophrenia is characterized by serious, chronic, and primary negative symptoms. We investigated differences in response to neuroleptic treatment between 8 DS patients and 6 nondeficit syndrome (NDS) patients who had the selective dopamine-D2 receptor blocker bromperidol added to their neuroleptic regimens. First, 9 mg/d was administered for 4 weeks, followed by 18 mg/d for another 4 weeks. Plasma homovanillic acid (pHVA) and plasma bromperidol concentrations were measured, and psychiatric symptoms were scored. In the NDS patients, both positive and negative symptoms improved. However, only the positive symptom scores changed in the DS patients. On day 4, pHVA concentrations of the NDS patients alone were significantly elevated. Plasma bromperidol concentrations did not differ between the groups. These results suggest that bromperidol exerts different effects on negative symptoms and pHVA concentrations between NDS and DS patients, effects that are unrelated to plasma bromperidol concentrations.
Suzuki
E
E
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Kanba
S
S
Koshikawa
H
H
Nibuya
M
M
Yagi
G
G
Asai
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D006220:Haloperidol; C006820:bromperidol; D006719:Homovanillic Acid