title: One-year, low-dose neuroleptic study of in-patients with chronic schizophrenia characterised by persistent negative symptoms. Amisulpride v. haloperidol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Amisulpride is a potent substituted benzamide antipsychotic drug claimed to improve the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, particularly at low dosage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty long-term in-patients with schizophrenia and selected for predominant negative symptoms were randomised to receive either haloperidol or amisulpride. Over a year there was systematic dose reduction, as symptoms allowed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between the treatment groups in the proportion receiving low-dose treatment, the control of positive symptoms, or ratings of social behaviour, side-effects or tardive dyskinesia. For negative symptoms, there were consistent but non-significant trends in favour of amisulpride. The amisulpride patients required significantly less anticholinergic medication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In chronically-hospitalised in-patients with schizophrenia characterised by persistent negative symptoms, amisulpride was a well-tolerated maintenance antipsychotic medication. The drug had only a limited effect in reducing negative symptoms, which were relatively stable, enduring phenomena in this sample, despite dosage reduction.
authors.affiliation: Plymouth Nuffield Clinic, Devon.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Speller
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Curson
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pantelis
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000077582:Amisulpride; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013469:Sulpiride; D000077582:Amisulpride