Project Summary

Kristi A. Sacco, Psy.D. (Young Investigator 2005) of Connecticut Mental Health Center and Yale University, plans to study the effect of a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on neurocognitive and smoking behavior of individuals with schizophrenia. In the proposed double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 60 smokers with schizophrenia would be randomized to one of three doses of atomoxetine [(0.0 mg/day (n=20), 40.0 mg/day (n=20), or 80.0 mg/day (n=20)] in order to compare the effects of the three doses of this drug on neurocognitive tasks measuring prefrontal cortex-related cognitive performance. Atomoxetine (Strattera™) is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor used to treat ADHD, which may selectively increase dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. Some neurocognitive problems in schizophrenia are believed to be due to reduced dopamine getting to the prefrontal cortex. Participants would be tested on a cognitive battery at baseline prior to medication administration, and again after both 1 and 2 weeks of medication, controlling for time since last cigarette (<30 minutes). It is hypothesized that atomoxetine will dose-dependently improve deficits in prefrontal cortex-related cognitive performance and negative symptoms in persons with schizophrenia, and that daily cigarette smoking will be reduced with atomoxetine as compared to placebo treatment. It is hypothesized that a large percentage of schizophrenics smoke to remediate the neurocognitive deficits in the prefrontal cortex.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS\Schizophrenia\Nicotine

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