A comparative trail of fluphenazine decanoate and flupenthixol decanoate

A double-blind cross-over study is reported which compares the antipsychotic properties and the side effects of depot flupenthixol with fluphenazine decanoate in chronic schizophrenic inpatients. Special emphasis was laid on examining changes in the target symptoms of apathy/anergia and depression in which flupenthixol has been claimed to be particulary effective. No significant differences were found between treatments on schizophrenic symptoms, or as regards the extrapyramidal side effects produced by equipotent doses of the two drugs. Reasons for the essentially negative results are discussed against a background review of earlier optimistic studies of flupenthixol.