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Novel Neuroleptics Improve Attentional Functioning in Schizophrenic Patients: Ziprasidone and Aripiprazole

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Mark R. Serper  and
James C.Y. Chou
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Abstract

Past research has established that traditional neuroleptic treatment improves attentional functioning in schizophrenic (SZ) patients. The present investigation expands on this finding by examining attentional improvement in nine acute SZ patients treated with either the novel neuroleptic ziprasidone or aripiprazole over a 4-week inpatient period. Twelve SZ in patients receiving typical neuroleptic treatment over the same time period served as controls. The results revealed that while all patients showed marked attentional improvement from medication-free baseline to week 4 of treatment, the SZ patients who received novel antipsychotics showed significant improvement on immediate recall and reaction time measures. These results suggest that novel neuroleptic treatment, perhaps through preferential activation of the prefrontal cortical pathways, improves SZ patients' information processing speed and efficiency.

Type
Feature Article
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 2 , Issue 8: The Maze of Cognitive Dysfunction , September 1997 , pp. 56 - 59
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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