The effect of perospirone on auditory P300 in schizophrenia: a preliminary study

The present study was performed to determine the effect of perospirone, a novel antipsychotic drug with D(2)/5-HT(2A) antagonist and partial 5-HT(1A) agonist properties, on auditory P300 in eight patients with chronic schizophrenia. Switching to an equivalent dose of perospirone from prior antipsychotic medication was associated with a significant improvement in the negative symptoms of the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS). The change in P300 amplitude following a switch to perospirone correlated significantly with the improvement of general psychopathology symptoms, as well as with the change in scores on items of delusions, hallucinatory behavior, emotional withdrawal, depression, poor attention, and disturbance of volition. These results suggest that clinical improvement in response to perospirone in some patients may, at least in part, be mediated through cognitive change indexed by P300 in chronic schizophrenia.