Dopaminergic, Functional, Structural, and Cognitive Disturbances in First-episode Schizophrenia

Summary

We wanted to compare dopamine D2 receptor activity, brain structure, brain function, sensory gating and cognition in neuroleptic-naive schizophrenic patients and matched healthy controls. Additionally, we wanted to examine the effects of 3 months of treatment with either low doses of a typical or an atypical antipsychotic compound on the same functions. The hypotheses were that schizophrenic patients suffered from disturbances in brain function and structure, information processing, and extrastriatal D2 receptor activity, and that these disturbances would be related to each other and to psychopathology. Additionally, we expected the atypical compound to have an effect on some of the disturbances in information processing, and that the atypical compound - in contrast to the typical drug - would show extrastriatal over striatal selectivity.

Conditions

• Schizophrenia

Interventions

DRUG

zuclopenthixol

Patients will be administered zuclopenthixol orally in doses between 4 -24 mg/day, depending on an effective reduction of symptoms

DRUG

risperidone

Patients will be administered risperidone orally in doses between 1-6 mg/day, depending on an effective reduction of symptoms

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Copenhagen

  collaborator OTHER

• Glostrup University Hospital, Copenhagen

  collaborator OTHER

• Rigshospitalet, Denmark

  collaborator OTHER

• Hvidovre University Hospital

  collaborator OTHER

• The Danish Medical Research Council

  collaborator OTHER

• Copenhagen Hospital Corporation

  collaborator OTHER

• Janssen-Cilag Ltd.

  collaborator INDUSTRY

• The Novo Nordic Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• Birte Glenthoj

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Birte Glenthoj, MD, DMSc · University of Copenhagen, Psychiatric Center Glostrup, Ndr. Ringvej, DK-2600 Glostrup, Denmark

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

45 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

1998-01-31

Primary Completion

2010-09-30

Completion

2010-09-30

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations