Pimozide in acute schizophrenia: a pilot study

Pimozide was used in a pilot study to treat 10 patients with frank symptoms of acute schizophrenia. Eight patients appeared to respond favourably to doses ranging from 12 to 40 mg daily. Two of the patients responded within 1 week and all 8 within 5 weeks. It was possible to discharge all 8 patients from hospital within this time period. It is concluded that oral pimozide is an effective treatment for the whole range of symptoms accompanying acute schizophrenia. Brief representative case histories are presented, and dosage recommendations for the effective treatment of acute schizophrenia with pimozide are discussed.