[Schizophrenia combination therapy with neuroleptics and benzodiazepines]

The literature review of combination therapy of schizophrenia with neuroleptics and benzodiazepines is presented. Early trials from the 60s are difficult to evaluate because of the heterogeneity of the patients' groups selected, non-standardized evaluation methods and different diagnostic criteria. The more recent trials, methodologically more correct, were aimed at the allevation by the benzodiazepines of anxiety and agitation symptoms often observed in schizophrenia. The trials aimed at the efficacy of co-therapy with neuroleptics and benzodiazepines, (mainly alprazolam) in schizophrenia were less frequent. As the result, not univocally positive effect of such a therapy was found. The differences in clinical effect might be caused by the individual susceptibility to the anxiolytics. The attempts to correlate various clinical effects of combination therapy with neuroleptics and benzodiazepines and the biological changes in central nervous system in schizophrenia, are also discussed.