title: Treatment with amisulpride and olanzapine improve neuropsychological function in schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although antipsychotic drugs control acute psychotic manifestations of schizophrenia, improving cognitive symptoms is also important for long-term prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and seventy-seven adult patients with acute psychosis were randomised to either amisulpride (200-800 mg/d) or olanzapine (5-20 mg/d) for 6 months. Neuropsychological performance was assessed at inclusion and after 6 months in a subgroup of 26 subjects (11 treated with amisulpride and 15 with olanzapine) using the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Trail Making Test (TMT) and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The improvement in BPRS score was similar in both treatment groups. No significant differences in test performance between groups were observed at inclusion. After 6 months, AVLT scores increased by 8.7 points in the amisulpride group and by 2.3 points in the olanzapine group (p = 0.049). Completion speed in the TMT increased by 17.4 s (amisulpride) and 15.4 s (olanzapine) for Part A and by 39.8 and 48.8 s, respectively for Part B. Performance in the COWAT improved little in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both amisulpride and olanzapine produce sustained improvement in certain measures of neuropsychological performance in patients with schizophrenia; a significant improvement in score on the AVLT was observed only with amisulpride.
authors: University of Hull, Hull, UK. A.M.Mortimer@hull.ac.uk
authors: Ann M
authors: AM
authors: Mortimer
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Joyce
authors: Krishnapillai
authors: K
authors: Balasubramaniam
authors: Prasoon C
authors: PC
authors: Choudhary
authors: Packeeruther T
authors: PT
authors: Saleem
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000077582:Amisulpride; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D000077152:Olanzapine; D011379:Prognosis; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D013469:Sulpiride; D000077582:Amisulpride; D000077152:Olanzapine