Pharmacotherapy of impaired affect in recovering schizophrenic patients.

Measured the severity of anxiety, depression, and defect features in 138 adult patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Ss entered a double-blind (DB) trial with an anticholinergic drug to assess the effects of extrapyramidal side effects (EPSEs) on distress or defect features. Ss who remained impaired and were not maintained on minimum effective doses of fluphenazine decanoate then entered a 12-wk, DB, dose-reduction study. Ss who remained depressed were next randomly assigned to a 12-wk DB trial of supplemental desipramine hydrochloride (DMI) or its placebo. Anxious Ss entered a 12-wk DB trial of a supplemental lithium carbonate (LC) or its placebo. Ss with mixed states were randomized to the DMI and LC studies. Most Ss with residual and persistent impairments of affect suffer a clinical state (not EPSEs or charactologic traits) that is often amenable to pharmacologic (thymoleptic) intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)