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The effect of sodium nitroprusside on psychotic symptoms and spatial working memory in patients with schizophrenia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 September 2016

J. M. Stone ,
P. D. Morrison ,
I. Koychev ,
F. Gao ,
T. J. Reilly ,
M. Kolanko ,
A. Mohammadinasab ,
S. Kapur  and
P. K. McGuire
J. M. Stone*
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
P. D. Morrison
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
I. Koychev
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
F. Gao
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
T. J. Reilly
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
M. Kolanko
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
A. Mohammadinasab
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
S. Kapur
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
P. K. McGuire
Affiliation:
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, London, UK
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr J. M. Stone, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology and Neuroscience, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF, UK. (Email: james.m.stone@kcl.ac.uk)
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Abstract

Background

Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) has been reported to rapidly reduce psychotic symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. This has the potential to revolutionize treatment for schizophrenia. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that SNP leads to a reduction in psychotic symptoms and an improvement in spatial working memory (SWM) performance in patients with schizophrenia.

Method

This was a single-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial performed from 27 August 2014 to 10 February 2016 (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT02176044). Twenty patients with schizophrenia aged 18–60 years with a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were recruited from psychiatric outpatient clinics in the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London, UK. Baseline symptoms were measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the 18-item Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS-18), and SWM was assessed using the CANTAB computerized test. Participants received either an infusion of SNP (0.5 μg/kg per min for 4 h) or placebo and were re-assessed for symptoms and SWM performance immediately after the infusion, and 4 weeks later.

Results

SNP did not lead to any reduction in psychotic symptoms or improvement in SWM performance compared to placebo.

Conclusions

Although this study was negative, it is possible that the beneficial effects of SNP may occur in patients with a shorter history of illness, or with more acute exacerbation of symptoms.

Keywords

Clinical trialnitric oxideschizophreniasodium nitroprussidespatial working memory
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 46 , Issue 16 , December 2016 , pp. 3443 - 3450
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

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