title: Insight in persons with schizophrenia: effects of switching from conventional neuroleptics to atypical antipsychotics.
abstract: The primary aim of our study is to evaluate the level of insight during the switch from a classical antipsychotic drug to a atypical neuroleptic. Twenty-two schizophrenic patients were admitted to the study, 9 were male and 13 were female. Standardized questionnaire were: Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS), Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Schedule for Assessing the three components of Insight (SAI). All patients were receiving haloperidol at time of recruitment. Eight patients were switched to clozapine, 3 to risperidone and 11 to olanzapine. The global function, measured with BPRS, increased after administration of atypical antipsychotics. The positive and negative symptoms were reduced. The level of insight was increased after the administration of the atypical antipsychotics. The cognitive effect of the atypical antipsychotics changed the level of insight and augmented the compliance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical, Morphological and Technological Sciences, U.C.O. of Clinical Psychiatry, University of Trieste, Via Paolo de Ralli n.5, 34147 Trieste, Italy. aguglia@univ.ts.it
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aguglia
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Vanna
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Onor
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ferrara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003024:Clozapine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D010890:Pirenzepine; D003024:Clozapine; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone; D000077152:Olanzapine