title: Risperidone increases the cortical silent period in drug-naive patients with first-episode schizophrenia: A transcranial magnetic stimulation study.
abstract: Schizophrenia is accompanied by impaired cortical inhibition, as measured by several markers including the cortical silent period (CSP). It is thought that CSP measures gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors B (GABAB) mediated inhibitory activity. But the mutual roles of schizophrenia as a disease and the drugs used for the treatment of psychosis on GABA mediated neurotransmission are not clear.
  
  
  
  We recruited 13 drug-naive patients with first-episode schizophrenia. We used transcranial magnetic stimulation to assess CSP prior to initiating risperidone monotherapy and again four weeks later. At the same time, we rated the severity of psychopathology using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).
  
  
  
  We obtained data from 12 patients who showed a significant increase in CSP, from 134.20±41.81 ms to 162.95±61.98 ms ( p=0.041; Cohen's d=0.544). After the treatment, the PANSS total score was significantly lower, as were the individual subscores ( p<0.05). However, no correlation was found between ΔCSP and ΔPANSS.
  
  
  
  Our study in patients with first-episode schizophrenia demonstrated an association between risperidone monotherapy and an increase in GABABmediated inhibitory neurotransmission.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.|2 Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Libor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ustohal
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.|2 Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mayerova
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Veronika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hublova
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Hana
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prikrylova Kucerova
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.|2 Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ceskova
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty of Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.|2 Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kasparek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D018967:Risperidone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D018967:Risperidone
keywords: Schizophrenia; cortical inhibition; cortical silent period; risperidone; transcranial magnetic stimulation