Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience  2014;12(3):215-217

doi:10.9758/cpn.2014.12.3.215

Effects of Add-on Ramelteon on Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Schizophrenia: An Open-label Pilot Trial.

Yukihiko SHIRAYAMA 1 ; Michio TAKAHASHI ; Masatoshi SUZUKI ; Yoshiaki TSURUOKA ; Koichi SATO

Affiliations

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Keywords

Ramelteon; Schizophrenia; Verbal learning

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This open-label study examined the effects of ramelteon on cognitive functions in 10 outpatients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Ramelteon (8 mg/day) was administered to 10 patients with schizophrenia for six months. The verbal fluency test, Trail-Making Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Stroop Test, the Digit Span Distraction Test, Iowa Gambling Task, the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test were evaluated at baseline and 6 months after treatment with ramelteon. RESULTS: Ramelteon improved significantly the scores of Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test. Additionally, ramelteon exerted improvements in the verbal fluency and Iowa Gambling Task in 4 patients. CONCLUSION: Ramelteon could be a potential therapeutic drug, in adjunctive treatment of learning and memory deficits seen in patients with schizophrenia.