The authors prospectively examined the effects of double-blind, placebo-
controlled neuroleptic withdrawal and administration on ratings of negative
and positive symptoms in 19 young patients with chronic schizophrenia.
Negative symptoms were significantly reduced by neuroleptic treatment, and
negative and positive symptoms demonstrated similar patterns of reduction
and exacerbation during neuroleptic treatment and withdrawal, respectively.
The changes in negative and positive symptoms induced by neuroleptic
treatment and withdrawal were not significantly correlated, however. The
negative and positive symptom profiles of individual patients were
significantly altered by neuroleptic treatment, indicating limitations to
the cross-sectional classification of patients on the basis of predominance
of one or the other symptom group. The authors discuss implications for the
neurobiological underpinnings of negative and positive symptoms.Abstract Teaser