Effectiveness of zuclopenthixol compared with haloperidol in the treatment of behavioural disturbances in learning disabled patients
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1University of Oslo, Department of Psychosomatic and Behavioural Medicine, National Hospital, Norway.
Background:
We compared the efficacy of two neuroleptics with different receptor profiles (zuclopenthixol and haloperidol) in learning disabled patients with behavioural disturbance.
Method:
A double-blind crossover study (2 x 8 weeks; n = 34), interrupted by a two-week single-blind washout period, was employed. Assessments included the Schedule for Handicaps, Behaviour, and Skills (SHBS) and Clinical Global Impression (CGI).
Results:
The SHBS score was significantly reduced for the zuclopenthixol cohort only. End-point analysis between the two drugs also showed an enhanced effect for zuclopenthixol over haloperidol. CGI scores did not reveal significant differences between the two drugs.
Conclusion:
Zuclopenthixol may be superior to haloperidol for the treatment of behavioural disturbances in mentally retarded subjects.