title: An open randomized pilot trial on the differential effects of aripiprazole versus risperidone on anhedonia and subjective well-being.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Negative symptoms of schizophrenia often predict an unfavorable clinical outcome. Disturbed dopamine transmission in different brain parts may underlie different aspects of negative symptoms, and the effect of antipsychotics on them may also differ. This pilot study investigated the potentially therapeutic effects of the partial dopamine agonist aripiprazole on different negative symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This pilot study randomly assigned patients with schizophrenia (N=40) to either aripiprazole or risperidone. After 6 weeks of treatment, the severity of negative symptoms was determined by the PANSS. Subscales of self-report questionnaires were used to assess differences in initiative, anhedonia, social functioning and subjective well-being.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients treated with aripiprazole showed a significant improvement on measures for anhedonia and subjective wellbeing. Negative symptoms in general, lack of initiative and social inhibition were also lower in the aripiprazole treated group, but without reaching statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to this pilot study, aripiprazole appears to specifically improve anhedonia and subjective wellbeing compared to risperidone. This may be caused by a specific effect of aripiprazole on the limbic branch of the dopamine system. Future studies should replicate this finding with a larger sample size.
authors: Department of Neuroscience, University Medical Center Groningen, and BCN-NeuroImaging Center, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. E.J.Liemburg@med.umcg.nl
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Liemburg
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Aleman
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Bous
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Hollander
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Knegtering
mesh_terms: D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D057181:Pleasure / Q000187:drug effects; D015363:Quinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D018967:Risperidone