Quetiapine (Seroquel) has equivalent efficacy and superior tolerability to risperidone in the treating the negative symptoms of schizophrenia

摘要: The negative symptoms of schizophrenia are considered key features of this disorder. They represent the diminution of normal psychological experience or function, and include blunted affect, apathy, anhedonia, asociality and impoverished thinking. 1 Negative symptoms are difficult to treat and residual symptoms are common after treatment with conventional antipsychotics. 2 Furthermore, negative symptoms are associated with high relapse rates, poor social functioning, cognitive impairment and a reduced quality of life. 2 To date, there have been few direct comparisons between atypical antipsychotics in their ability to treat negative symptoms. 3