Effects of amoxapine, a new antidepressant, on pseudoneurotic schizophrenia.

During a four-week open study, amoxapine (AX), a new antidepressant agent, was administered to seven patients with pseudoneurotic schizophrenia, seven with neurosis and another seven with schizophrenia, all having similar symptoms. The improvement ratio was 71.4% in the pseudoneurotic schizophrenia group, 57.1% in the neurosis group and 42.8% in the schizophrenia group. Through the application of rating instruments, improvements were observed in the pseudoneurotic schizophrenia group in such items as psychotic and psychoneurotic symptoms in the assessment through the Springfield Outpatient Symptom and Adjustment Index, somatic concern and blunted affect through the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and depression and depersonalization through the Clinical Rating Scale. On the other hand, overall improvements were less seen in the items of the neurosis group and the schizophrenia group. Effective doses of AX were 30 to 75 mg/day in the three groups. Side effects were observed in four cases which included insomnia, tachycardia, palpitation and hypomanic state. There were no cases in which AX was discontinued because of the side effects as these symptoms were slight. AX is remarkable and characteristically efficacious in the pseudoneurotic schizophrenia, and this effectiveness is presumed due to its antidepressant and antipsychotic actions.