CLONIDINE PLUS HALOPERIDOL IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHIZOPHRENIA PSYCHOSIS

Because of the evidence for increased norepinephrine (NE) production i n psychotic patients, we studied the effects of combining the az-adren ergic agonist clonidine with haloperidol for the treatment of schizoph renic psychosis. Twelve hospitalized schizophrenic patients were taken off their antipsychotic medication for 2 to 4 weeks before double-bli nd treatment with haloperidol (20 mg/day) combined with either clonidi ne or placebo. The group receiving clonidine was significantly more im proved on the thought disorder subscale of the Brief Psychiatric Ratin g Scale (p = 0.02). The groups differed initially in the level of nega tive symptoms, but controlling for this difference statistically by an alysis of covariance did not change the finding with regard to the sup eriority of combining clonidine with haloperidol. We conclude that lar ger treatment trials of combining haloperidol with clonidine are warra nted.