Quetiapine--efficacy in different domains.

Conventional treatment paradigms for schizophrenia have typically focused on reducing positive symptomatology; however, it is increasingly apparent that negative and cognitive symptoms are also important treatment targets. Cognitive function, in particular, is known to affect multiple outcome domains, including performance of basic daily activities, and social and occupational functioning. While traditional antipsychotics have little, or even a detrimental, effect on neurocognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia, available data suggest that cognitive function may be improved during treatment with atypical antipsychotics. Quetiapine is a novel atypical antipsychotic with proven efficacy in schizophrenia across all domains. Results of well-controlled, double-blind, randomised studies show quetiapine to significantly improve cognitive function compared with treatment with haloperidol. Quetiapine has also been shown to be effective and well tolerated in patients particularly vulnerable to the extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) associated with conventional antipsychotics, making it well suited for use as first-line therapy.