RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN NEUROLEPTIC DOSE AND POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYMPTOMS

The present study explored possible connections between neuroleptic do se and the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenic patients. Z ero-order correlations between medication dose as measured in CPZ equi valent units and standardized assessments of positive (hallucinations, delusions) and negative (blunted affect, poor rapport) symptoms were carried out on 28 hospitalized schizophrenics. While dose was positive ly related to over-all negative symptom scores as well as specific neg ative symptoms, no relation was found with positive scores. The discus sion focused on the possibility that negative symptoms might represent medication-induced side effects and the need for further research.