ADJUNCTIVE FLUOXETINE OR AMISULPRIDE IMPROVES SCHIZOPHRENIC NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS

Twenty chronic schizophrenic outpatients with negative symptoms and tr eated with a stable dose of haloperidol for over six months participat e in this two months open trial. They were randomly assigned to one of the following augmentation strategies: amisulpride addiction of 100 m g/day (11 patients) and fluoxetine addition of 20 mg/day (9 patients). Subjects were assessed at baseline, after two weeks of treatment, aft er one month and after two months with the following evaluation instru ments: the BPRS, the SANS, the SAPS, the HDRS and the CGI. The treatme nt tolerance was also evaluated. Two patients dropped out (both in the fluoxetine group). Both treatments were significantly effective in im proving negative symptomatology. Amisulpride augmentation appeared to be more rapid in efficacy and more selective on the core of negative s ymptoms; fluoxetine augmentation appeared to be more affective on the depressive aspects of negative symptoms. Several clinical differences in the efficacy between the two treatments are of interest and they ne ed to be investigated later.