title: Effects of raloxifene on cognition in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
abstract: Studies of estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women provide evidence of an effect of sex hormones on cognitive function. Estrogen has demonstrated some utility in the prevention of normal, age-related decline in cognitive functions, especially in memory. The potential therapeutic utility of estrogens in schizophrenia is increasingly being recognized. Raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), appears to act similarly to conjugated estrogens on dopamine and serotonin brain systems, and may be a better option since it lacks the possible negative effects of estrogen on breast and uterine tissue. We assessed the utility of raloxifene as an adjuvant treatment for cognitive symptoms in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia in a 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Patients were recruited from both the inpatient and outpatient departments. Thirty-three postmenopausal women with schizophrenia (DSM-IV) were randomized to receive either adjuvant raloxifene (16 women) or adjuvant placebo (17 women) for three months. The main outcome measures were: Memory, attention and executive functions. Assessment was conducted at baseline and week 12. The total sample is homogenous with respect to: age, years of schooling, illness duration, baseline symptomatology and pharmacological treatment. The addition of raloxifene (60 mg) to regular antipsychotic treatment showed: we found significant differences in some aspects of memory and executive function in patients treated with raloxifene. This improvement does not correlate with clinical improvement. The use of raloxifene as an adjuvant treatment in postmenopausal women with schizophrenia seems to be useful in improving cognitive symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Departament de Psiquiatriai Medicina Legal, Universitat Autònoma d eBarcelona,Spain. Electronic address: mehuerta@pssjd.org.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Huerta-Ramos
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain.
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iniesta
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ochoa
authors.affiliation: Corporació Sanitària Parc Taulí, Spain.
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cobo
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miquel
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain.
authors.forename: Mercedes
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roca
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; redIAPP "Financiado por el Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Red RD06/0018/0017", Spain.
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serrano-Blanco
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Teba
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Spain.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Usall
mesh_terms: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D056344:Executive Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017698:Postmenopause; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride
keywords: Cognitive function; Postmenopausal women; Raloxifene; Schizophrenia