Psychotropic drug treatment, clinical characteristics and cognitive processing speed in patients with schizophrenia: results from the ELAN study

Pharmacopsychiatry. 2012 Jun;45(4):138-45. doi: 10.1055/s-0031-1297260. Epub 2011 Dec 15.

Abstract

Introduction: Psychotropic drug combinations (PDC) are common in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia but there is little research regarding the effects of PDC on cognition.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of antipsychotic monotherapy and various types of PDC on cognitive processing speed (CPS).

Methods: ELAN is a 24-month multi-site prospective observational controlled trial following up 374 patients with schizophrenia under routine treatment conditions following discharge from inpatient treatment. The propensity score method, multinomial logistic regression analyses and mixed effects regression models were used.

Results: CPS correlated significantly with PANSS and GAF scores and improved over time in the monotherapy group. Negative effects of some PDC (antipsychotics + tranquilizers/antipsychotics+at least 2 other psychopharmacological subclasses, sedative/anticholinergic drugs/high adjusted antipsychotic dose) lost significance after controlling for clinical characteristics.

Discussion: Indications for PDC should be examined with care although, in the present study, effects on cognition were small.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cognition Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychotic Disorders / complications*
  • Psychotic Disorders / drug therapy
  • Psychotropic Drugs / therapeutic use*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Schizophrenia / complications*
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Psychotropic Drugs