Increased extrapyramidal symptoms in patients with schizophrenia and a comorbid substance use disorder

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry neurosurgery and psychiatry, 2006-06, Vol.77 (6), p.796-798
• Main Authors: Potvin, S, Pampoulova, T, Mancini-Marië, A, Lipp, O, Bouchard, R-H, Stip, E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Alcohol; Antipsychotic Agents - adverse effects; Basal Ganglia Diseases - etiology; Basal Ganglia Diseases - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Cocaine; comorbidity; Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); Dopamine; Drug dosages; Drug use; dual diagnosis; EPS; ESRS; Ethnicity; extrapyramidal symptoms; extrapyramidal symptoms in schizophrenia; Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale; Female; Humans; Hypotheses; Injuries of the nervous system and the skull. Diseases due to physical agents; Male; Marijuana; Medical sciences; Multiple sclerosis and variants. Guillain barré syndrome and other inflammatory polyneuropathies. Leukoencephalitis; Neurology; PANSS; PAS; Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale; psychoactive substances; Psychotropic drugs; Psychotropic Drugs - adverse effects; Schizophrenia; Schizophrenia - complications; Schizophrenia - drug therapy; schizophrenia only; SCID-IV; SCZ; Severity of Illness Index; Short Report; Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV; Studies; substance use disorders; Substance-Related Disorders - complications; Traumas. Diseases due to physical agents; Variables
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2005.079228

Few data have been gathered about the impact of psychoactive substances on extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) in schizophrenia, and so far, inconsistent results have been reported. We studied 41 outpatients with schizophrenia (based on DSM-IV criteria), who were divided into two groups: with (n = 17) and without (n = 24) a substance use disorder (alcohol, cannabis, and/or cocaine). Both groups were matched for sociodemographic data and psychiatric symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale). EPS were evaluated with the Extrapyramidal Symptoms Rating Scale and the Barnes Akathisia Scale, and all patients were stable on either quetiapine or clozapine. Patients receiving anticholinergic drugs were excluded. Analyses of variance were conducted on both groups and showed that schizophrenia patients with a comorbid substance use disorder (especially cocaine) displayed more EPS compared with non-abusing patients.