XXXX treatment by withdrawal of short-term low-dose antipsychotic, a proof-of-concept randomized double-blind study.

@entity1 @entity308 @entity935 @entity1767 @entity1155
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Because increased @entity935 neurotransmission occurs with most antidepressants, and because antipsychotics cause behavioural supersensitivity to @entity935 , short-term low-dose antipsychotic treatment was tested on @entity308 @entity1 with an expectation of clinical improvement in the supersensitive phase following drug withdrawal. METHOD: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 48 @entity1 who met criteria for DSM-IV(  ) Major @entity308 , were in a @entity308 , and had a @entity308 (HAMD) rating of >= 14. Half the @entity1 received 0.25mg oral @entity1767 each day for 7 days, after which they received placebo daily for 4 weeks. The other half received placebo throughout the trial. RESULTS: One week after stopping the medication, the HAMD ratings of the drug-treated @entity1 fell by 9.96 points, as compared to a reduction of 8.73 points in the placebo-treated @entity1 , when comparing visits 1 and 4. There was no such difference when comparing visits 2 and 4. The differences were not significant, but indicated a trend. One week after the medication was stopped, the Clinical Global Index fell 1.64  0.18 units for the medication-treated @entity1 , compared to 1.12  0.26 units for the placebo group (P=0.05). The regimen was well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Seven days of an ultra-low dose of 0.25mg @entity1767 , followed by withdrawal of @entity1767 , resulted in clinical @entity308 improvement greater than placebo and significantly @entity1155 , consistent with @entity1767 -induced behavioural supersensitivity to @entity935 . LIMITATIONS: The sample was small. More @entity1 are needed in a future study.
