The neurocognitive effects of low-dose haloperidol: a two-year comparison with risperidone.

Full Abstract

BACKGROUND:
Neurocognitive deficits are core features of schizophrenia that are linked to functional outcome for the disorder. Recent studies and reviews have concluded that newer antipsychotic medications are better for neurocognitive deficits than conventional antipsychotic medications; however, one difficulty in interpreting this literature is that the comparisons have mainly been with high doses of conventional medications. This study examined the neurocognitive effects of low-dose haloperidol compared with risperidone over a 2-year period.METHODS:
Sixty-two patients were randomly assigned to medication (starting at 6 mg of each medication) and administered neurocognitive batteries six times over the course of follow-up. At 6 months, the mean dose of haloperidol was 5.0 mg, and the mean dose of risperidone was 6.0 mg. Neurocognitive data were reduced into cluster scores and a global summary score.RESULTS:
We found no significant overall differences in treatment effects on the cluster scores or the global score. The global score revealed a significant group by time interaction, reflecting the fact that the haloperidol group tended to improve initially and then stay stable, whereas the risperidone group improved more gradually over the follow-up period.CONCLUSIONS:
This study did not provide support for neurocognitive advantages of a newer antipsychotic medication over a low-dose conventional medication. We speculate that conventional medications may have neurocognitive benefits at low doses that are neutralized or reversed at higher doses.

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Author information

Author/s: Green, Michael F (MF); Marder, Stephen R (SR); Glynn, Shirley M (SM); McGurk, Susan R (SR); Wirshing, William C (WC); Wirshing, Donna A (DA); Liberman, Robert P (RP); Mintz, Jim (J);

Affiliation: Veterans Affairs VISN 22 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Grants: MH41573 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Clinical Trial; Comparative Study; Journal Article; Randomized Controlled Trial; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Biological psychiatry (Biol Psychiatry), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Jun; vol 51 (issue 12) : pp 972-8

Dates: Created 2002/06/13; Completed 2002/08/02; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12062881, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

CommentIn: Biol Psychiatry. 2002 Jun 15;51(12):969-71. (PMID: 12062880)

CommentIn: Biol Psychiatry. 2003 Feb 1;53(3):265-7; author reply 267-8. (PMID: 12559661)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use
Cognition - drug effects
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Female
Haloperidol - therapeutic use

Humans
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Risperidone - therapeutic use
Schizophrenia - drug therapy
Schizophrenic Psychology

Associated Chemicals: Antipsychotic Agents (0) ; Risperidone (106266-06-2) ; Haloperidol (52-86-8)

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