Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

Newer Drugs Fail to Fully Help people with schizophrenia

In what is probably not entirely new news to anyone, this story highlights the significant opportunity for improvement in treatments for people with schizophrenia.

New drugs fail to fully aid schizophrenics - A story in today's Washington Post (also carried in the San Francisco Chronicle) suggested that two atypical antipsychotic medicines recently evaluated are ineffective in reversing the lack of social skills that is one of the less obvious features of schizophrenia, according to a new study. The newspaper story stated:

"Although the drugs were effective in combating other symptoms of schizophrenia, which is characterized by disorganized thought and psychotic behavior, they did not improve the subtle deficits that leave such patients unable to form social bonds and function properly in society."

The research, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, had patients with schizophrenia that were assessed on their social skills and problem- solving ability before and after they used two drugs called Clozaril and Risperdal.

Both the drugs had significant positive effects on symptoms, but neither had an appreciable impact on either social skill or problem-solving ability, suggested researchers in February's American Journal of Psychiatry.