Abstract
Schizophrenic patients were treated with fixed doses of sulpiride (800 mg/day) or chlopromazine (CPZ) (400 mg/day) during a period of 8 weeks using a double-blind design. There were 25 patients in each group and all of them fulfilled the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) for schizophrenia. Autistic and psychotic symptoms were rated with subscales developed from the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS). Autistic symptoms were also rated with a subscale of the Nurse's Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE). Sulpiride was superior to CPZ in reducing the autistic symptoms. Patients with low concentrations of sulpiride in serum had a better recovery rate from autistic symptoms than those with high concentrations. Both drugs reduced positive psychotic symptoms to the same degree.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alfredsson G, Wode-Helgodt B, Sedvall G (1976) A mass fragmentographic method for the determination of chloropromazine and two of its active metabolites in human plasma and CSF. Psychopharmacology 48:123–131
Alfredsson G, Sedvall G, Wiesel F-A (1979) Quantitative analysis of sulpiride in body fluids by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. J Chromatogr 164:187–193
Alfredsson G, Bjerkenstedt L, Edman G, Härnryd C, Oxenstierna G, Sedvall G, Wiesel F-A (1984a) Relationships between drug concentrations in serum and CSF, clinical effects and monoaminergic variables in schizophrenic patients treated with sulpiride or chlorpromazine. Acta Psychiatr Scand 69 Suppl 311:49–74
Alfredsson G, Härnryd C, Wiesel F-A (1984b) Effect of sulpiride and chlorpromazine on depressive symptoms in schizophrenic patients — Relationship to drug concentrations. Psychopharmacology (in press)
Asberg M, Montgomery S, Perris C, Schalling D, Sedvall G (1978) CPRS — The psychopathological rating scale. Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl 271:5–27
Bleuler E (1916) Lehrbuch der Psychiatrie. Julius Springer Verlag, Berlin
Cassano GB, Castrogiovanni P, Conti L (1975) Sulpiride versus haloperidol in schizophrenia: A double-blind comparative trial. Curr Ther Res 17:189–201
Edwards J, Alexander JR, Alexander MS, Gordon A, Zutch T (1980) Controlled trial of sulpiride in chronic schizophrenic patients. Br J Psychiatry 137:522–529
Elizur A, Davidson S, Psych FRC (1975) The evaluation of the anti-autistic activity of sulpiride. Curr Ther Res 18:578–584
Haase HJ, Floru L, Ulrich F (1974) Klinisch nuroleptische Untersuchung des N-(1-Äthyl-Pyrrolidin-2-Y1)-Methyl-2 Methoxy-5-Sulfamoyl-Benzamide-Neurolepticums Sulpirid (Dogmatil) an akut erkrankten Schizofrenen. Int Pharmacopsychiatry 9:77–94
Härnryd C, Bjerkenstedt L, Björk K, Gullberg B, Oxenstierna G, Sedvall G, Wiesel F-A, Wik G, Åberg-Wistedt A (1984a) Clinical evaluation of sulpiride in schizophrenic patients — A double-blind comparison with chlorpromazine. Acta Psychiatr Scand 69 Suppl 311:7–30
Härnryd C, Bjerkenstedt L, Gullberg B, Oxenstierna G, Sedvall G, Wiesel F-A (1984b) Time course for effects of sulpiride and chlorpromazine on monoamine metabolite and prolactin levels in cerebrospinal fluid from schizophrenic patients. Acta Psychiatr Scand 69 Suppl 311:75–93
Honigfeld G, Gillis RV, Klett CJ (1966) NOSIE-30: A treatment-sensitive ward behaviour scale. Psychol Rep 19:180–182
Jenner P, Marsden CD (1979) The substituted benzamides — a novel class of dopamine antagonists. Life Sci 25:479–486
Montgomery SA, Åsberg M (1979) A new depression scale designed to be sensitive to change. Br J Psychiatry 134:382–389
Rau RVA, Bailey J, Bishop M, Coppen A (1981) A clinical and pharmacodynamic evaluation of sulpiride. Psychopharmacology 73:77–80
Spitzer RL, Endicott J (1977) Schedule, for affective disorder and schizophrenia (SADS). IIIrd edition. New York State Psychiatric Inst, Biometrics Res, New York
Toru M, Moriya H, Yamamato K, Shimzono Y (1972) A double-blind comparison of sulpiride with chlorpromazine in chronic schizophrenia. J Clin Pharm 12:221–229
Trabucchi M, Longoni R, Freisia P, Spano PF (1975) Sulpiride: A study of the effects on dopamine receptors in rat neostriatum and limbic forebrain. Life Sci 17:1551–1556
Wode-Helgodt B, Borg S, Fyrö B, Sedvall G (1978) Clinical effects and drug concentrations, in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid in psychotic patients treated with fixed doses of chlorpromazine. Acta Psychiatr Scand 58:149–173
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Alfredsson, G., Härnryd, C. & Wiesel, FA. Effects of sulpiride and chlorpromazine on autistic and positive psychotic symptoms in schizophrenic patients —relationship to drug concentrations. Psychopharmacology 85, 8–13 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427315
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00427315