Reduction of Symptoms by Valacyclovir in Cytomegalovirus-Seropositive Individuals With Schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: The study was an investigation of the effect of the antiviral medication valacyclovir on the symptoms of outpatients with persistent schizophrenia. METHOD: Oral valacyclovir, 1 g twice daily, was administered to 65 outpatients over 16 weeks along with their usual psychiatric medications....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The American journal of psychiatry 2003-12, Vol.160 (12), p.2234-2236
Main Authors: Dickerson, Faith B., Boronow, John J., Stallings, Cassie R., Origoni, Andrea E., Yolken, Robert H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acyclovir - adverse effects
Acyclovir - analogs & derivatives
Acyclovir - therapeutic use
Adult
Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents
Antiviral agents
Antiviral Agents - adverse effects
Antiviral Agents - therapeutic use
Biological and medical sciences
Cytomegalovirus Infections - diagnosis
Cytomegalovirus Infections - drug therapy
Drug therapy
Drug Therapy, Combination
Epidemiology
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Human cytomegalovirus
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Prodrugs - adverse effects
Prodrugs - therapeutic use
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychotic Disorders - diagnosis
Psychotic Disorders - drug therapy
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia - diagnosis
Schizophrenia - drug therapy
Schizophrenic Psychology
Side effects
Treatment Outcome
Valine - adverse effects
Valine - analogs & derivatives
Valine - therapeutic use
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Summary:OBJECTIVE: The study was an investigation of the effect of the antiviral medication valacyclovir on the symptoms of outpatients with persistent schizophrenia. METHOD: Oral valacyclovir, 1 g twice daily, was administered to 65 outpatients over 16 weeks along with their usual psychiatric medications. Changes in psychiatric symptoms were measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and were tested for correlations with antibodies to potentially neurotropic human herpesviruses, as measured by immunoassay before the start of the therapy. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in the psychiatric symptoms of individuals who were seropositive for cytomegalovirus. Improvement was not associated with antibodies to other herpesviruses or to a range of demographic and clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS: The replication of cytomegalovirus may contribute to the symptoms of schizophrenia in some individuals.
ISSN:0002-953X
1535-7228
DOI:10.1176/appi.ajp.160.12.2234