The Effects of Bupropion on Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia

This study was designed determine the efficacy of bupropion versus placebo in subjects with negative symptoms of schizophrenia. A convenience sample of 40 patients of both genders aged 18-60 years who were living in psychiatric care centers were randomly treated with bupropion (started with 75 mg twice a day; increased to 100 mg thrice daily) or placebo. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was confirmed by a psychiatrist based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) criteria. Before and after the intervention, severity of negative symptoms was determined using a reliable and valid Persian version of Scales for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). Comparison of post-treatment total SANS score and subscale scores between bupropion treated patients and placebo group demonstrated no significant difference. Moreover, comparison of pre-treatment and post-treatment total SANS score and subscales within 2 groups revealed that nor bupropion neither placebo improved the severity of negative symptoms significantly. Present study demonstrated that bupropion has no significant effect on SANS score of patients with severe negative symptoms. However, further studies with larger sample size are recommended to achieve more accurate results.