Effects of mianserin in chronic schizophrenia

1. The efficacy of mianserin as a supplement in treating chronic schizophrenia was tested by monitoring the BPRS and plasma monoamine metabolites. 2. Twenty inpatients with schizophrenia were administered fixed doses of neuroleptics throughout the study. 3. A control BPRS scoring and blood sampling were done before mianserin administration. 4. Fixed doses of 60 mg/day of mianserin for 2 weeks and flexible doses for 4 weeks were given orally in an open study for 6 consecutive weeks, and no treatment followed for 1 additional week. 5. BPRS scoring was carried out once weekly, and blood samples were obtained after mianserin treatment. 6. Both total BPRS scores and scores for negative symptoms were decreased by mianserin treatment as compared with the control values. 7. 5-HIAA concentrations of both responding patients and nonresponding patients to mianserin were increased after medication; however, 5-HIAA values of responding patients were lower than those of nonresponding patients. 8. HVA concentrations of the responding group were slightly increased by mianserin administration. 9. There were no significant changes in MHPG levels between the two groups. 10. These results suggest that the negative symptoms of schizophrenia are partly improved by mianserin treatment.