IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF CHLORPROMAZINE AND PERPHENAZINE FOLLOWING NEUROLEPTIC WASHOUT ON WORD-ASSOCIATION OF SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS

Reaction time and idiosyncrasy of word associations were examined in 3 0 schizophrenic patients, 2 h after administering a single dose of chl orpromazine, perphenazine or placebo. These patients were in the acute phase of their illness following 72 h cessation of oral neuroleptic t reatment administered for 1-2 weeks. There was a statistically signifi cant reduction in reaction times after administering perphenazine as c ompared to the placebo. Chlorpromazine showed some reduction in reacti on times that was not statistically significant. Further study is need ed to examine the relationship between such changes and other paramete rs, such as the patients' symptomatology and their social competence. Since many schizophrenic patients exhibit low or partial compliance, i ncluding patterns of intermittent taking of medication with a few days cessation, studies using such a model of a single dose of neuroleptic following several days withdrawal, may have clinical relevance. Anoth er finding was a correlation between reaction time and the number of u ncommon word associations produced. This correlation was beyond drug e ffect. Further study is needed to find out if such a correlation chara cterizes schizophrenic patients only. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.