RELATIONSHIP OF ETHNICITY AND GENDER TO SCHIZOPHRENIA AND PHARMACOLOGY OF NEUROLEPTICS

There is considerable heterogeneity in the psychopathology of schizoph renia and the response to neuroleptic treatment, at least some of whic h may result from ethnicity and gender differences among subjects. We review the literature relevant to ethnic and gender differences in psy chopathology and neuroleptic response in schizophrenia. Studies reveal several diagnosis- and treatment-related differences in schizophrenia among different ethnic and gender groups. Some of these differences m ight be biological in origin, others due to cultural or environmental factors. In studies conducted in our center, we found no differences i n psychopathology or amount of neuroleptic therapy between African-Ame rican and Caucasian patients. We did note that African-American patien ts in our sample had a somewhat greater risk of developing tardive dys kinesia than their Caucasian counterparts. The incidence of tardive dy skinesia was similar for males and females. Our studies of neuroleptic -induced tardive dyskinesia were restricted to patients over age 45, t hough there were no ethnic or gender differences in the daily neurolep tic dose. Future work in this area should carefully compare ethnic and gender differences in treatment response.