Informed consent in medication-free schizophrenia research

DJ Moser, RL Reese, SK Schultz… - American Journal of …, 2005 - Am Psychiatric Assoc
DJ Moser, RL Reese, SK Schultz, ML Benjamin, S Arndt, FW Fleming, NC Andreasen
American Journal of Psychiatry, 2005Am Psychiatric Assoc
OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to determine whether people with schizophrenia
experience changes in decisional capacity when their antipsychotic regimens are
discontinued for research purposes. METHOD: Capacity for informed consent for research,
neuropsychological performance, and psychiatric symptoms were assessed before and after
discontinuation of antipsychotic medication in 10 individuals with schizophrenia. RESULTS:
Overall, participants showed minimal change on most measures during the medication-free …
OBJECTIVE
The authors’ goal was to determine whether people with schizophrenia experience changes in decisional capacity when their antipsychotic regimens are discontinued for research purposes.
METHOD
Capacity for informed consent for research, neuropsychological performance, and psychiatric symptoms were assessed before and after discontinuation of antipsychotic medication in 10 individuals with schizophrenia.
RESULTS
Overall, participants showed minimal change on most measures during the medication-free interval, although their reasoning ability declined significantly. All participants who demonstrated adequate understanding of study procedures at enrollment retained this capacity throughout the study.
CONCLUSIONS
Participants in medication-free schizophrenia research do not show a major decline in decisional capacity. However, the apparent decline in reasoning ability found in this study is of concern and underscores the need for both additional research on this topic and the development of remediational interventions aimed at enhancing this aspect of decisional capacity.
American Journal of Psychiatry