title: The effects of galantamine on psychopathology in chronic stable schizophrenia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Galantamine is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and an allosteric modulator of the alpha4beta2 and alpha7 nicotinic receptors. There are several case reports describing the potential benefits of galantamine for negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. This secondary analysis describes the effects of galantamine on psychopathology in people with schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects with clinically stable chronic schizophrenia were randomized to adjunctive galantamine (24 mg/d) or placebo in a 12-week double-blind trial. Symptomatology was assessed with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Clinical Global Impression Scale. The Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) was used to measure negative symptoms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six patients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder taking a stable dose of antipsychotic medications were randomized to adjunctive treatment with study drug (galantamine, n = 42; placebo, n = 44); 73 subjects completed the study (galantamine, n = 35; placebo, n = 38). No significant differences were found on BPRS total score (P = 0.585) or BPRS subfactor scores. Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms total scores also did not decrease significantly (P = 0.106) in either group; however, galantamine treatment was associated with a greater benefit in the SANS subfactor, alogia (P = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lack of robust significant effects of galantamine on negative, and other symptom domains, may be due to the relatively low baseline level of these symptoms in the tested population. Galantamine may have some benefit on certain negative symptoms, particularly alogia. Studies specifically designed to address the issue of the efficacy of galantamine for negative symptoms are needed to confirm this observation.
authors.affiliation: Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21228, USA.
authors.forename: Robert R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Conley
authors.forename: Douglas L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Boggs
authors.forename: Deanna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Dwight
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dickinson
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feldman
authors.forename: M Patricia
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Buchanan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D010054:Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005702:Galantamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011599:Psychopathology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D005702:Galantamine