Long-term treatment of mood disorders in schizophrenia.

Abstract

Mood disorders in schizophrenia are common and are associated with a poor outcome, an increased risk of relapse and a high rate of suicide. Consequently, treatment strategies need to take mood disorders into account. In depressed and actively psychotic schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients, treatment with neuroleptic plus antidepressant may be less effective than neuroleptic alone. However, patients with post-psychotic depression on maintenance neuroleptics respond well to tricyclic antidepressants. Mood disorders can be caused by neuroleptics and if so will often improve if the dose is reduced or if the drug is changed. Anticholinergics may also help. In schizoaffective disorder, lithium is usually beneficial, especially for patients with classical affective disorder. Carbamazepine may be more effective in patients with schizoaffective and schizophreniform disorders. At doses comparable with those effective in schizophrenia, clozapine may be as good or better than conventional neuroleptics in schizophrenic patients with psychotic mood disorder or schizoaffective disorder. In patients with high BPRS anxiety/depression scores, risperidone (8 mg/day) was more effective than haloperidol (10 mg/day). Risperidone at a mean dose of 8.6 mg/day was also more effective than haloperidol (mean dose 9.2 mg/day) or levomepromazine (methotrimeprazine -- mean dose 125 mg/day) on the Psychotic Anxiety Scale. Mood-related symptoms are therefore amenable to treatment. Risperidone and clozapine appear to be good candidates for the long-term treatment of mood disorders in schizophrenia, although long-term, double-blind, controlled studies are needed to confirm this.