Medications and verbal memory impairment in schizophrenia: the role of anticholinergic drugs

Abstract

Drugs with anticholinergic activity are the major pharmacological agents that contribute to the verbal memory deficit observed in patients with schizophrenia. These drugs appear to act by impeding semantic organization at encoding.

Exploring the clinical and social determinants of prescribing anticholinergic medication for Chinese patients with schizophrenia

“…ACM causes a variety of anticholinergic side effects, including the impairment of cognitive capacity (Brebion et al, 2004). Its continuous use may contribute to the development of tardive dyskinesia (TD) (Greil et al, 1984;Perris et al, 1979).…”

Cognitive Impairment Associated with Schizophrenia: A Review of the Humanistic Burden

“…• Avolition [5,6,50,51] • A ective attening [6,51] • Alogia [6] • Social withdrawal [6,52] • Anhedonia [52,51] • Akinesia [52] Activities of daily living…”

“…It is characterized by the occurrence of positive symptoms [3], such as hallucinations or delusions [4], and negative symptoms [3], such as avolition [5], affective flattening, and social withdrawal [6].…”

Towards a muscarinic hypothesis of schizophrenia

“…119 The newer antipsychotic agents are found to be moderately more effective than the older antipsychotics in improving cognitive function, 120 which may in part be explained by their lower propensity to cause extrapyramidal side effects and associated lower use of anticholinergic agents. 121,122 However, the overall effects of antipsychotic medications on cognitive functioning are modest.…”