Cognition, Functioning and Quality of Life

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2006-03-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

People affected by schizophrenia often experience poor concentration, lapses in memory and difficulty with completing tasks; and this set of problems are known as neuro-cognitive deficits. Traditional medications used in the treatment of schizophrenia have not been particularly useful in improving these problems, while the recently introduced medications are expected to be superior in this respect. The proposed research study is designed to assess the effect of two of the new medications (Zyprexa and Seroquel) in improving the neurocognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Hamilton Health Sciences Corporation
• Collaborator: AstraZeneca
• Treatments: Olanzapine; Quetiapine Fumarate

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of schizophrenia confirmed by administering SCID and,

• Subjects consecutively referred for optimizing antipsychotic drug therapy, i.e. a change of medication from conventional medications or Risperidone is indicated due to lack of efficacy, side-effects or poor subjective tolerability.

• Competent to provide an informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Substance dependence, mental retardation, head injury or other primary neurological disorders.

• Imminent risk due to suicidal or aggressive behavior (a score of five or more on the hostility item on the PANSS).

• A pattern of social instability, which could hamper long-term follow-up.