title: The effect of mirtazapine augmentation of clozapine in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
abstract: The development of therapeutic strategies to effectively treat negative symptoms remains one of the primary goals in the treatment of schizophrenia. Mirtazapine is the first of a new class of dual action compounds, the noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressants (NaSSa), whose activity is related to the enhancement of noradrenergic and serotonergic transmission by a presynaptic alpha2 antagonism and postsynaptic 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 antagonism, respectively. This study was a 8-week double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 30 mg adjunctive mirtazapine to clozapine therapy in 24 patients with DSM-IV schizophrenia. The main finding at the end of the trial was a significant reduction on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) total scores in the mirtazapine group compared to placebo (P<0.01) with a significant improvement on the SANS subscales avolition/apathy and anhedonia/asociality. The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale total score at week 8 showed superiority of mirtazapine over placebo. These findings suggest a potential role for mirtazapine as an augmentation strategy in the treatment of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric and Anaesthesiological Sciences, University of Messina, Messina, Italy. rocco.zoccali@unime.it
authors.forename: Rocco
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zoccali
authors.forename: Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Muscatello
authors.forename: Clemente
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cedro
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neri
authors.forename: Diletta
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: La Torre
authors.forename: Edoardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Antonio Enrico
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Di Rosa
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meduri
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003024:Clozapine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008803:Mianserin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D044348:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT2 / Q000187:drug effects; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3 / Q000187:drug effects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D044348:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT2; D044406:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT3; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D008803:Mianserin; D000078785:Mirtazapine; D003024:Clozapine