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document
Targeting alpha-7 nicotinic neurotransmission in schizophrenia : a novel agonist strategy . Alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ( α7 nAChR ) agonists may be valuable treatments for negative symptoms and cognitive impairment in schizophrenia . Unfortunately , chronic exposure to an agonist may reduce the receptor 's sensitivity . Therefore , we combined CDP-choline , a dietary source of the direct agonist choline , with galantamine , a positive allosteric modulator ( PAM ) of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors , to improve the efficiency of transducing the choline signal and , possibly , preserve the receptor in a sensitive state . We conducted a single-site , double-blind randomized clinical trial comparing galantamine/CDP-choline to placebos in schizophrenia patients with negative symptoms who were receiving second generation antipsychotics . Forty-three subjects received galantamine and CDP-choline or matching placebos for 16weeks . The primary outcome measure was the 5-item Marder negative-symptoms factor of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ( PANSS ) . Cognition and functioning were also assessed . Trial completion was high ; 79 % . There was no significant treatment effect on negative symptoms , other PANSS symptom factors , or the MATRICS Cognitive Consensus Battery . There were significant treatment effects in overall functioning and a test of free verbal recall . Three subjects discontinued treatment in the active treatment group for gastro-intestinal adverse events ( AE ) . The most common AE for galantamine/CDP-choline was abdominal pain ; for placebo it was headache and sweating . Although there was no significant treatment effect on negative symptoms , the direction of effect mirrored the effects on a cognitive measure and overall functioning . Further study of α7 nAChR agonist/PAMs is warranted in larger studies that will have greater power .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
alpha-7 nicotinic neurotransmission
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Participant_Condition
schizophrenia :