Changes in cognitive functioning with risperidone and olanzapine treatment: a large-scale, double-blind, randomized study.
OBJECTIVE
The effects of risperidone and olanzapine on cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia were compared in a randomized, double-blind trial.


METHODS
Three hundred and seventy-seven patients were randomly assigned to receive 2-6 mg/day of risperidone or 5-20 mg/day of olanzapine for 8 weeks. Cognitive function was assessed with a focused cognitive assessment battery; in addition, extrapyramidal symptoms were assessed using the extrapyramidal symptom rating scale (ESRS), and the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) was rated for all patients.


RESULTS
Treatment with these two atypical antipsychotic medications was associated with improved performance on the Wisconsin card sorting test, the trail-making test, the California verbal learning test, the continuous performance test, and some aspects of verbal fluency and spatial working memory. No differences in the effects of the drugs on any of the cognitive tests were noted. Correcting for the effects of anticholinergic treatment did not alter the magnitude of cognitive effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Atypical antipsychotic treatment is associated with wide-ranging benefits on cognitive functioning. Previous reports of greater benefits of olanzapine over risperidone in a small-sample pilot study were not substantiated. These results are not due in general to changes in clinical symptoms or movement disorders, suggesting a direct effect of atypical antipsychotic medications on cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
Harvey
Philip D
PD
Department of Psychiatry, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, Box 1229, New York, NY 10029, USA. pdharvey@compuserve.com
Green
Michael F
MF
McGurk
Susan R
SR
Meltzer
Herbert Y
HY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014706:Verbal Learning / Q000187:drug effects
D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000077152:Olanzapine; D010890:Pirenzepine; D018967:Risperidone; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors