Antidepressant Treatment in Older Adults With Schizophrenia

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of citalopram (Celexa) for the treatment of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly patients with schizophrenia.

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Key information

Conditions

Schizophrenia Mental Disorders Psychotic Disorders Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders

Age range

40 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

San Diego VA Medical Center, San Diego, California, United States

About this study

Older people with schizophrenia suffer from greater physical comorbidity, cognitive impairment, and medication side effects compared to their younger counterparts. Unfortunately, little research is available to guide the treatment of subsyndromal depressive symptoms in older adults. This study will compare the antidepressant citalopram to placebo to determine the most effective treatment for reducing depressive symptoms in older patients with schizophrenia

After patients have been on stable treatment with antipsychotic medication for at least 4 weeks, they are randomly assigned to receive antipsychotic medication plus either citalopram or placebo for 3 months. Depressive symptoms and side effects are assessed weekly for the first month, biweekly for the second month, and again at the end of the third month. Cognition, motor and daily functioning, quality of life, and medication adherence are assessed throughout the study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder
HAM-D score of 8 or above
Antipsychotic medication treatment

Treatment and study plan

citalopram (celexa)

Drug

Citalopram for 3 months

Placebo

Drug

Placebo for 3 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Veterans Medical Research Foundation

Other

Collaborators

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Registry information

Official study title

Citalopram Augmentation in Older Patients With Schizophrenia

Important dates

Study start: 2001
Primary completion: 2006
Study completion: 2007
First posted: Oct 7, 2002
Registry last updated: Aug 9, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed