Premium
Donepezil in schizophrenia — is it helpful? An experimental design case study
Author(s) -
MacEwan G. W.,
Ehmann T. S.,
Khanbhai I.,
Wrixon C.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1046/j.0001-690x.2001.acp1c008d.x
Subject(s) - donepezil , verbal fluency test , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , risperidone , psychology , neuropsychology , fluency , psychiatry , psychosis , rivastigmine , clinical psychology , cognition , adverse effect , rating scale , acetylcholinesterase inhibitor , acetylcholinesterase , dementia , medicine , developmental psychology , disease , mathematics education , biochemistry , chemistry , enzyme
Objective: To assess the clinical and cognitive effects of adding donepezil, a reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, to the risperidone treatment of a high functioning stable out‐patient with schizophrenia. Method: Case study using an experimental ABAB design. Assessments were completed objectively by standardized neuropsychological tests and clinical rating scales and subjectively with visual analogue scales. Results: Strong improvements attributable to donepezil were found for verbal fluency and the patient's subjective response. No adverse changes were noted in psychiatric symptoms or side effects. Conclusion: Cholinergic enhancement as an adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia should be explored in larger controlled trials.