RESUMO
In contrast to studies of adult psychiatric patients, there was no striking difference between vigilance task performance by 11 newly diagnosed, previously untreated adolescent schizophrenics and that of 58 nonpsychotic adolescent comparison subjects. Neuroleptic treatment failed to improve the performance of the schizophrenic subjects. Sedation, a frequent side effect, was associated with significant prolongation of reaction time and an increase in error rate. Attentional characteristics of adolescent schizophrenics appear to resemble those of other disturbed children. Their response to neuroleptics appears to be limited and the deleterious effects of sedation on attention may well outweigh any clinical benefit attributable to sedation. Findings are discussed in terms of methodology and age-related characteristics.
Assuntos
Atenção/efeitos dos fármacos , Esquizofrenia Infantil/tratamento farmacológico , Tioridazina/uso terapêutico , Tiotixeno/uso terapêutico , Adolescente , Criança , Humanos , Escalas de Graduação Psiquiátrica , Tempo de Reação/efeitos dos fármacos , Psicologia do Esquizofrênico , Tioridazina/efeitos adversos , Tiotixeno/efeitos adversosRESUMO
Of 21 schizophrenic adolescents given thiothixene or thioridazine, many responded poorly or experienced sedation. Because sedation necessitates dose reductions, which limit therapeutic response, for schizophrenic adolescents high-potency neuroleptics may be preferable to the more sedating low-potency drugs.