Effect of donepezil added to atypical antipsychotics on cognition in patients with schizophrenia: an open-label trial.
BACKGROUND
Despite the beneficial effects of atypical antipsychotics on cognition, many schizophrenic patients continue to suffer from cognitive impairment. Postmortem findings suggest that altered cholinergic activity is involved in cognitive impairment in schizophrenia.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigated whether adjunctive donepezil added to atypical antipsychotics can improve cognition in schizophrenic patients.


METHODS
We conducted an open-label trial of donepezil, at doses of up to 10 mg/day for 12 weeks, added to ongoing atypical antipsychotics in 28 stable schizophrenic patients. At baseline and 12 weeks, the patients were evaluated using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS), and Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test (CNT).


RESULTS
Donepezil treatment resulted in significant improvements in attention, memory, psychomotor speed, and mental set-shifting ability.


CONCLUSIONS
Adjunctive treatment with donepezil improves cognition in patients with schizophrenia who are stabilized on atypical antipsychotics. Further studies controlling for smoking, age, and severity of cognitive impairment of the participants are needed.
Chung
Young-Chul
YC
Department of Psychiatry, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju, South Korea. chungyc@chonbuk.ac.kr
Lee
Chun-Rong
CR
Park
Tae-Won
TW
Yang
Keum-Hwa
KH
Kim
Ki-Won
KW
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D000077265:Donepezil; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007189:Indans / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D007189:Indans; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D000077265:Donepezil