ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We compared the effects of haloperidol and three atypical antipsychotics (risperidone, olanzapine, and aripiprazole) on nicotine dependence in schizophrenic patients. METHODS: One hundred and thirty nine schizophrenic patients, who began using antipsychotic medication, were assessed for severity of nicotine dependence and for cigarette craving at baseline and following 8 weeks of treatment using the Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire (FTQ) and a Likert-style, seven point, visual-analogue rating scale. RESULTS: Nicotine dependence increased in the haloperidol group, but not in atypical antipsychotics groups. Patients treated with aripiprazole showed a reduction both in nicotine dependence and cigarette craving. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of aripiprazole, a partial agonist of the dopamine D2 receptor, may reduce the severity of nicotine dependence in schizophrenic patients.
Subject(s)
Dopamine Agonists/pharmacology , Dopamine Agonists/therapeutic use , Neurons/drug effects , Schizophrenia/drug therapy , Tobacco Use Disorder/physiopathology , Tobacco Use Disorder/psychology , Adult , Antipsychotic Agents/classification , Antipsychotic Agents/pharmacology , Antipsychotic Agents/therapeutic use , Basal Ganglia Diseases/complications , Basal Ganglia Diseases/physiopathology , Basal Ganglia Diseases/psychology , Dopamine Agonists/classification , Dopamine Antagonists/pharmacology , Dopamine Antagonists/therapeutic use , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Receptors, Dopamine D2/agonists , Schizophrenia/complications , Severity of Illness Index , Smoking Cessation/psychology , Tobacco Use Disorder/complications , Young AdultABSTRACT
The methionine variant of Val66Met brain-derived neurotrophic factor BDNF met and catecholamine-O-methyltransferase (COMT L) is associated with a deficit in attention and aggravation of delusions in schizophrenia. We hypothesized that the BDNF-COMT gene interaction would affect the symptoms and cognition in schizophrenia. Ninety-six schizophrenic patients and 79 control participants were recruited. The patients who were BDNF met/met x COMT L carriers had the highest scores of delusion of Positive Symptoms and the Scale for Assessment of Negative Symptoms, word reading of the color word test, and trail-making test B time, compared with the other three genotype interactions. The current results suggest that patients with the BDNF met/met x COMT L allele had more delusional symptoms and poorer cognitive flexibility, compared with the other three genotype interactions.
