Pharmacopsychiatry 2003; 36 - 139
DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-825390

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia are improved by the addition of paroxetine to neuroleptics: A double-blind placebo-controlled study

MC Jockers-Scherübl 1, A Bauer 1, F Godemann 1, FM Reischies 1, F Selig 1, P Schlattmann 1
  • 1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-University Medicine Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany

This study was to confirm the positive effect of Paroxetine as an add-on to antipsychotics for the treatment of negative symptoms in chronic schizophrenia seen in our pilot study (1).

29 patients with chronic schizophrenia (DSM-IV) who scored at least 20 points on the negative subscale of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) were treated with 30mg Paroxetine or placebo in a double-blind placebo-controlled study for 12 weeks. Ratings included the PANSS, the affective state, extrapyramidal side-effects and Paroxetine side-effects.

29 patients entered the study, 6 dropped out. The data of the remaining 23 were analysed. The mean score of the negative subscale of the PANSS decreased considerably in the Paroxetine group compared to the placebo group (p=0.061, two-sample-t-test for the differences). The effects were most pronounced concerning blunted affect (p=0.029) and abstract thinking (p=0.019). The study confirms the efficacy of Paroxetine with respect to the treatment of negative symptoms in chronic schizophrenia.

1.Jockers-Scherübl MC et al.: J Clin Psychiatry 2001.62:573.