The nicotinergic receptor as a target for cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia: barking up the wrong tree?
Psychopharmacology (Berl)
; 231(3): 543-50, 2014 Feb.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-24022237
RATIONALE: Cognitive symptoms have increasingly been recognized as an important target in the development of future treatment strategies in schizophrenia. The nicotinergic neurotransmission system has been suggested as a potentially interesting treatment target for these cognitive deficits. However, previous research yielded conflicting results, which may be explained by several methodological limitations, such as the failure to include both a group of smoking and non-smoking schizophrenic patients, the use of only a single nicotine dose, and the inclusion of a very limited cognitive battery. OBJECTIVES: The present study aims at investigating the cognitive effects of nicotine in schizophrenia while addressing these methodological issues. METHODS: In a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized crossover design, cognitive effects are assessed in smoking (n =16) and non-smoking (n =16) schizophrenic patients after receiving active (1 or 2 mg) or placebo oromucosal nicotine spray. RESULTS: A modest improving effect of nicotine on attention in the smoking but not the non-smoking group was found. No enhancing effects were found on measures of visual memory, working memory, processing speed, psychomotor speed, or social cognitive functioning in either patient group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the nicotinic receptor only has limited value as a cognitive treatment target in schizophrenia.
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Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Esquizofrenia
/
Psicología del Esquizofrénico
/
Trastornos del Conocimiento
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Nootrópicos
/
Agonistas Nicotínicos
/
Nicotina
Tipo de estudio:
Clinical_trials
/
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Psychopharmacology (Berl)
Año:
2014
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Alemania