However, more psychopharmacological research is needed in this area, with larger, more homogeneous samples, to test, the latter hypothesis. A review of the medications used in these studies also makes clear a need to find treatments that are well tolerated, and that target negative symptoms and cognitive deficits. The value of such an approach is considered next, in relation to treatment strategies for schizotaxia. Schizotaxia The general therapeutic considerations

discussed above in relation to SPD are relevant to schizotaxia as well. Because schizotaxia. is related biologically to schizophrenia, we considered the possibility that effective treatments for schizophrenia would also be of value in schizotaxia. Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical In particular, we hypothesized that schizotaxic deficits should respond to risperidone, a. medication that improves negative symptoms and neuropsychological

dysfunction in schizophrenic patients (see, for example, references 39 and 40). Thus, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical we completed an open drug trial in a small scries of patients. The clinical criteria for inclusion in the drug trial are described above.21 Individuals who met. these criteria for schizotaxia and who provided informed consent received low doses of risperidone Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical (0.25-2.0 mg) for 6 weeks. Side effects were temporary and mainly mild. Five out. of 6 individuals showed marked improvements in attention, and mild-to-moderate reductions in negative symptoms. The

sixth subject Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical did not. show improvement in either area. This subject, also differed from the other cases in other ways. In particular, her level of overall cognitive ability was below normal (estimated IQ=75), raising the possibility that treatments might be less effective when the ability to utilize them falls below certain levels (the IQs of the other subjects ranged between 92 and 111). The cognitive and clinical improvements in 5 out of 6 individuals are encouraging and Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical provide support, for larger, more controlled trials. These preliminary findings are potentially important for several reasons. First, they suggest that several key clinical and neuropsychological symptoms in schizotaxic, first-degree relatives of patients with schizophrenia, are reversible, at least in part. Moreover, they are reversible by a treatment that is effective against some of the same symptoms in schizophrenia, consistent with the view all that these clinical symptoms may reflect, elements that are common to schizophrenia. Second, they show that impairments in such individuals may be ameliorated safely with risperidone. These NLG-8189 in vivo results are preliminary and require replication in larger, controlled studies before they can be considered as a. basis for treatment. Such studies arc currently in progress. Future directions Because the familial basis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders reflects a.