To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Asenapine Improves Neurocognitive Function in Schizophrenia: Presented at ECNP URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/216212.htm Doctor's Guide October 23, 2007
By Joanna Lyford VIENNA, AUSTRIA -- October 23, 2007 -- Asenapine, an investigational drug with a unique pharmacologic profile, improves cognitive function in patients with acute schizophrenia, suggests new research presented here at the 20th European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) Congress. Asenapine is a novel drug with high affinity for serotonergic, dopaminergic, and alpha-adrenergic receptors but low affinity for muscarinic receptors. In this phase 2 study, 59 patients with acute schizophrenia were randomised to treatment with asenapine 5 mg BID, 59 to risperidone 3 mg BID, and 62 to placebo. Patients were assessed with a comprehensive neurocognitive test battery 1 to 10 hours after the morning dose at baseline, week 3, and week 6. By week 6, asenapine-treated subjects exhibited improvements in performance on all three tests of verbal learning and memory (immediate recall, delayed recall, and delayed recognition) and three tests of speed and processing (Trails A time, Digit Symbol Substitution Test, and letter fluency), whereas performance worsened on Trails B errors. By contrast, risperidone improved scores on one test of speed of processing (Trails A time) while performance worsened on two tests of reasoning and problem solving. The study authors noted that, on most measures of cognitive function, the effect size for active treatment versus placebo was greater with asenapine than with risperidone. "Patients treated with asenapine showed improvements in speed of processing and verbal learning and memory, domains of cognitive function that are particularly relevant to functional outcome in schizophrenia," concluded the study team, which was led by Steven Potkin, MD, Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California, United States. "Further studies are needed to confirm and generalize these observations," they said. The research was supported by Organon International Inc. [Presentation title: Effects of Asenapine on Cognitive Function in Acute Schizophrenia: A Placebo- and Risperidone-Controlled Trial. Abstract P.3.c.073] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.