Effect of serotonin antagonism in schizophrenia: a pilot study with setoperone

The new antipsychotic drug setoperone is pharmacologically characterized by its potent serotonin and moderate dopamine receptor blocking properties. Forty chronic schizophrenic patients were included and 34 completed this pilot study. Following a drug-free period of 1 week the patients received setoperone 5 mg t.i.d. After 1 month of treatment, the psychotic symptoms, as measured by the BPRS, improved by approximately 50% (P less than 0.001) as compared with the condition under previous neuroleptic medication. Blockade of serotonin receptors may be related to improvement of autistic behaviour, dysphoria, and parkinson-like symptoms. In residual schizophrenic patients, the need for dopamine blockade, which is normally correlated with the therapeutic effect on positive symptoms, can be reduced substantially.