title: SPECT imaging, clinical features, and cognition before and after low doses of amisulpride in schizophrenic patients with the deficit syndrome.
abstract: The aim of the study was to examine the action of low-dose amisulpride (100 mg/d), an atypical antipsychotic from the benzamide class with a high affinity for the D2 and D3 dopamine receptors, given for 4 weeks in 19 schizophrenic patients with the deficit syndrome, in terms of clinical response, modifications in their cognitive performance and changes in brain perfusion values. A secondary objective was to distinguish between primary and secondary deficit, according to Carpenter's definition. Both efficacy and a relatively low rate of side effects of low-dose amisulpride in the deficit forms of schizophrenia were found as expected from earlier placebo-controlled studies. Our study found significant changes in the cerebral blood flow, before and after treatment, more marked in the frontal area and particularly in the dorso-lateral frontal area. A significant improvement of cognitive function was found after treatment, without a link to any particular changes in a loco-regional perfusion value. Finally, a distinction between primary and secondary deficit showed a higher percentage of clinical improvement in the patients with a secondary deficit. The psychometric and cerebral perfusion changes were no different in the two groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of, Lille, France. gvaiva@chru-lille.fr
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vaiva
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Pierre Michel
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Llorca
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dupont
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cottencin
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mazas
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rascle
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinling
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goudemand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000077582:Amisulpride; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012562:Schizophrenia, Disorganized / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D013469:Sulpiride; D000077582:Amisulpride