Cognitive efficacy of quetiapine in early-onset first-episode psychosis: a 12-week open label trial

Psychiatr Q. 2012 Sep;83(3):311-24. doi: 10.1007/s11126-011-9201-3.

Abstract

Twenty-three adolescents with psychotic disorders, aged from 13 to 18 years, participated in a 12-week open label trial (17 adolescents completed the study) in order to examine the impact of quetiapine on clinical status and cognitive functions (encompassing processing speed, attention, short-term memory, long-term memory and executive function). An improvement in Clinical Global Impression and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (P's ≤ 0.001) was observed. In addition, after controlling for amelioration of symptoms, a significant improvement was observed on one executive function (P = 0.044; Trail Making Part B). The remaining cognitive abilities showed stability. In addition, we observed an interaction between quetiapine doses (>300 mg/day or <300 mg/day) and time, where lower doses showed more improvement in verbal short-term memory (P = 0.048), inhibition abilities (P = 0.038) and positive symptoms (P = 0.020). The neuropsychological functioning of adolescents with psychotic disorders remained mainly stable after 12 weeks of treatment with quetiapine. However, lower doses seemed to have a better impact on two components of cognition (inhibition abilities and verbal short-term memory) and on positive symptoms.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Antipsychotic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antipsychotic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Cognition Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Cognition Disorders / psychology
  • Dibenzothiazepines / administration & dosage
  • Dibenzothiazepines / pharmacology
  • Dibenzothiazepines / therapeutic use*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests / statistics & numerical data
  • Nootropic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Nootropic Agents / pharmacology
  • Nootropic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychotic Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Psychotic Disorders / psychology
  • Quetiapine Fumarate
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Dibenzothiazepines
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Quetiapine Fumarate