Baclofen (para-chlorphenyl-GABA) in schizophrenia

Abstract

21 schizophrenic patients were treated in a single blind study with para-chlorphenyl-GABA (baclofen) for 20 days after a placebo period of at least 1 week. Global clinical impression identified five patients as behaviorally unchanged, seven as improved and nine as worsened during the active drug administration. Four patients had to be withdrawn from the trial because of serious and unmanageable psychotic exacerbations. Overall incidence of psychotic symptoms in the group of the schizophrenic patients did not change substantially neither did the remission coefficient as calculated from the AMP documentation system. No differential effect was detected either on selected Schneiderian first rank symptoms or on symptoms more characteristic for chronic defectuous schizophrenia. It is concluded that baclofen is not a useful drug in the therapy of schizophrenia.