Active and passive avoidance learning in controls and schizophrenic patients on racemic propranolol and neuroleptics.

Normal controls and schizophrenic patients on propranolol as sole drug or combined with neuroleptics showed superior active and passive avoidance learning to schizophrenic patients who were medicated with conventional neuroleptics only. Active avoidance involved responding quickly, passive avoidance withholding a response to avoid an unpleasant noise and reacting to the appropriate stimulus. This may reflect an improvement brought about by propranolol in the limbic regulation of stimulus and response processes.