Varenicline and P50 auditory gating in medicated schizophrenic patients: a pilot study

Psychiatry Res. 2010 Jan 30;175(1-2):179-80. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2009.01.025. Epub 2009 Dec 2.

Abstract

Most schizophrenic patients have a deficit in auditory sensory gating that appears to be mediated by the alpha-7 nicotinic receptor. This pilot study examines the effects of varenicline, an alpha-7 agonist, on the P50 auditory evoked potential in six schizophrenic patients. The study was canceled because of concerning side effects consistent with those reported by the FDA. However, in this small group of subjects, varenicline did not consistently enhance P50 auditory gating.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation / methods
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Benzazepines / pharmacology*
  • Benzazepines / therapeutic use
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory / drug effects*
  • Humans
  • Nicotinic Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Nicotinic Agonists / therapeutic use
  • Pilot Projects
  • Quinoxalines / pharmacology*
  • Quinoxalines / therapeutic use
  • Reaction Time / drug effects
  • Schizophrenia / drug therapy
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*
  • Sensory Gating / drug effects*
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Varenicline

Substances

  • Benzazepines
  • Nicotinic Agonists
  • Quinoxalines
  • Varenicline