Highlights
•We assessed the safety and efficacy of L-carnosine as an adjuvant to risperidone for treatment of negative symptoms in patients with stable schizophrenia.
•Patients who received L-carnosine showed significant improvement in negative subscale scores of the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) over the course of eight weeks
•Treatment with L-carnosine seems to be well tolerated with no serious adverse events.
Abstract
Since l-carnosine has shown effectiveness in improvement of cognition in patients with schizophrenia, this 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted. Sixty-three patients with chronic schizophrenia, who were clinically stable on a stable dose of risperidone, entered the study. The patients were randomly assigned to l-carnosine (2 gr/day in two divided doses) or placebo for eight weeks. The patients were assessed using the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS), extrapyramidal symptom rating scale (ESRS), and Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS) during the study course. Sixty patients completed the trial. L-carnosine resulted in greater improvement of negative scores as well as total PANSS scores but not positive subscale scores compared to placebo. HDRS scores and its changes did not differ between the two groups. Both groups demonstrated a constant ESRS score during the trial course. Frequency of other side effects was not significantly different between the two groups. In a multiple regression analysis model (controlled for positive, general psychopathology, depressive and extrapyramidal symptoms, as well as other variables), the treatment group significantly predicted changes in primary negative symptoms. In conclusion, l-carnosine add-on therapy can safely and effectively reduce the primary negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.
Keywords
Add-on therapy; L-carnosine; NMDA receptor; Primary negative symptoms; Schizophrenia
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165178117318012
