Pergolide treatment of cognitive deficits associated with schizotypal personality disorder: continued evidence of the importance of the dopamine system in the schizophrenia spectrum.
Cognitive deficits observed in schizophrenia are also frequently found in individuals with other schizophrenia spectrum disorders, such as schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). Dopamine appears to be a particularly important modulator of cognitive processes such as those impaired in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, we administered pergolide, a dopamine agonist targeting D(1) and D(2) receptors, to 25 participants with SPD and assessed the effect of pergolide treatment, as compared with placebo, on neuropsychological performance. We found that the pergolide group showed improvements in visual-spatial working memory, executive functioning, and verbal learning and memory. These results suggest that dopamine agonists may provide benefit for the cognitive abnormalities of schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
McClure
Margaret M
MM
VA VISN 3 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Bronx, NY, USA. Margaret.McNamara@mssm.edu
Harvey
Philip D
PD
Goodman
Marianne
M
Triebwasser
Joseph
J
New
Antonia
A
Koenigsberg
Harold W
HW
Sprung
Larry J
LJ
Flory
Janine D
JD
Siever
Larry J
LJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010479:Pergolide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010919:Placebos; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D012569:Schizotypal Personality Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D010919:Placebos; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D010479:Pergolide; D004298:Dopamine