Amisulpride: efficacy in the management of chronic patients with predominant negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Amisulpride is a dopamine D2/D3-selective antipsychotic drug with potent antipsychotic efficacy in acute exacerbations of schizophrenia. It also possesses substantial efficacy in chronic schizophrenic patients with enduring predominant negative symptoms. This unique property has been demonstrated in a series of short (6 weeks) and medium-/long-term (6–12 months) double-blind placebo-controlled studies. The patients in these studies were carefully selected and assessed to avoid confounding results with non-specific changes in other symptom domains. The results not only show effects on negative symptoms at the optimal dose of 100 mg/day, but also significant improvement in global functioning. The effect observed in short-term studies was maintained over longer treatment periods (6–12 months). Amisulpride was well tolerated with a safety profile similar to placebo. These results open a new therapeutic approach for negative symptoms, one of the most disabling aspects of schizophrenia.