ADJUNCTIVE IMIPRAMINE IN SUBSTANCE-ABUSING DYSPHORIC SCHIZOPHRENIC-PATIENTS

Previous controlled studies have presented evidence that adjunctive tricyclic antidepressant medication may be useful in the treatment of schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients with phenotypic post-psychotic depressions and that tricyclic antidepressants may be useful in the treatment of certain substance-abusing nonschizophrenic patients. The potential value of adjunctive antidepressant medication among substance-abusing dysphoric schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients, however, has not previously been addressed. The present report details the results of carefully controlled adjunctive antidepressant trials among 11 such substance-abusing schizophrenic or schizoaffective patients. The results of this acute treatment trial appeared to be favorable for at least some individuals and can be interpreted in the context of models that heretofore have been advanced for the understanding of this clinical situation.