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Abstract
A clinical trial was undertaken to determine the role of dopaminergic and noradrenergic
blockers in the maintenance treatment of remitted schizophrenics. One hundred and
six remitted schizophrenic outpatients were treated with one of nine treatments, viz.,
thioridazine 25 mg or 75 mg, pimozide 2 mg or 6 mg, and their respective combinations,
for 1 year in a double-blind controlled study employing a randomized design. The data
from a previous study were utilized as a retrospective placebo group. Pimozide prolonged
the number of symptom-free days in a dose-dependent manner and did so more markedly
than thioridazine. Combined administration of pimozide and thioridazine prolonged
the number of symptom-free days to a greater extent than their single administration.
However, an inverted U-shaped dose-response curve was obtained with the combined administration
of these agents. These data suggest that both the dopaminergic and noradrenergic blocking
action of neuroleptics are important in preventing relapse in remitted schizophrenics.
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Article info
Publication history
Received in revised form:
June 12,
1985
Received:
February 27,
1985
Identification
Copyright
© 1985 Published by Elsevier Inc.
