Effects of haloperidol and risperidone on cerebrohemodynamics in drug-naive schizophrenic patients.
BACKGROUND
Use of antipsychotics may be associated with cerebrovascular adverse events in psychotic patients. In this study, the effects of haloperidol and risperidone on the cerebral hemodynamics and the possible relationships between antipsychotics and cerebrovascular risks tendency were evaluated by Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD).


METHODS
Twenty drug-nai ve schizophrenic patients and 20 normal control subjects were included. The patients were divided into haloperidol- and risperidone-treated groups and received treatment for 8 weeks double-blindly. The subjects' cerebral blood flow mean velocities (MV) and pulsatility index (PI) were measured weekly by TCD. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale for schizophrenia (PANSS) was used to assess the patients' psychopathological symptoms.


RESULTS
Increased MV and decreased PI were found significantly in drug-nai ve schizophrenic patients than normal subjects before treatment (p<0.01). The decreased PI could be normalized after 8 weeks of antipsychotic treatment, while the increased MV could not. Treatment with haloperidol could significantly increase the PI than the treatment with risperidone (p<0.01) throughout the treatment course. The PANSS scores of both groups were significantly improved (p<0.05) at the endpoints of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that haloperidol may affect the cerebral hemodynamics in drug-naive schizophrenics more prominently than that of risperidone via TCD monitoring.
Lee
Shin-Min
SM
Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.
Chou
Yuan-Hwa
YH
Li
Min-Hui
MH
Wan
Fang-Jung
FJ
Yen
Mao-Hsiung
MH
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018967:Risperidone / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006220:Haloperidol; D018967:Risperidone