Studies of cognitive change in patients with schizophrenia following novel antipsychotic treatment.
OBJECTIVE
Novel antipsychotic medications have been reported to have beneficial effects on cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia. However, these effects have been assessed in studies with considerable variation in methodology. A large number of investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trials are currently underway to determine the effect of various novel antipsychotics on cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia. The ability to discriminate between high- and low-quality studies will be required to understand the true implications of these studies and their relevance to clinical practice.


METHODS
This article addresses several aspects of research on cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia, emphasizing how the assessment of cognitive function in clinical trials requires certain standards of study design to lead to interpretable results.


RESULTS
Novel antipsychotic medications appear to have preliminary promise for the enhancement of cognitive functioning. However, the methodology for assessing the treatment of cognitive deficits is still being developed.


CONCLUSIONS
Researchers and clinicians alike need to approach publications in this area with a watchful eye toward methodological weaknesses that limit the interpretability of findings.
Harvey
P D
PD
Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. pdharvey@compuserve.com
Keefe
R S
RS
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents