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Glucose effects on cognition in schizophrenia.
William S Stone1, Larry J Seidman, Joanne D Wojcik
1Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts Mental Health Center (MMHC), Harvard Medical School, 74 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115, USA. william_stone@hms.harvard.edu
Schizophrenia Research
|May 27, 2003
Summary
Glucose supplementation improved verbal declarative memory in schizophrenia patients stabilized on clozapine. This suggests potential adjunctive strategies to enhance cognitive function in schizophrenia treatment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Metabolism
Background:
- Clozapine treatment improves cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.
- Cognitive dysfunction remains a significant challenge in schizophrenia.
- Glucose is known to enhance memory in various conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if glucose, compared to saccharin, further enhances memory in schizophrenia patients stabilized on clozapine.
- To assess the impact of glucose on verbal declarative memory, attention, and executive functions.
Main Methods:
- Double-blind, counterbalanced, crossover study with 12 schizophrenia outpatients on clozapine.
- Administration of glucose or saccharin beverages, followed by neuropsychological testing.
- Assessment of blood glucose levels at multiple time points.
Main Results:
- Word list retention was significantly improved after glucose ingestion.
- Performance on a sustained vigilance task declined following glucose administration.
- Blood glucose levels were monitored to correlate with cognitive performance.
Conclusions:
- Glucose administration can enhance declarative memory in clozapine-treated schizophrenia patients.
- The effects of glucose on non-memory cognitive functions like attention require further investigation.
- Glucose modulation offers a potential avenue for improving cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.