Effects of depot neuroleptics on driving performance in chronic schizophrenic patients

Patients who are prescribed psychotropic medication may be expected to have some impairment in general attention and concentration and in measures of psychological and motor performance. These impairments may be due to the illness itself, the medication or the combination of both. Twenty two patients who were receiving depot neuroleptics for chronic schizophrenia were compared with sixteen control subjects in their performance on simulated driving tests. There was a significant decrement in driving performance in the index group compared with a normal control group.