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Pharmacopsychiatry 2002; 35(5): 190-194
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-34120
Original Paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Clozapine in Patients with Chronic Schizophrenia: Serum Level, EEG and Memory Performance

G. Adler1 , S. Grieshaber1 , V. Faude1 , B. Thebaldi1 , H. Dressing2
  • 1Clinical Neurophysiology Service
  • 2Psychiatric Day Clinic, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 26. 4. 2001 Revised: 5. 2. 2002

Accepted: 7. 3. 2002

Publication Date:
18 September 2002 (online)

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The atypical antipsychotic clozapine causes EEG alterations, and may lead to memory impairments due to its anticholinergic properties. The relationships between clozapine serum level, quantitative EEG parameters and performance in vigilance and memory tasks were studied in a group of 17 chronically ill schizophrenic patients under maintenance treatment with clozapine at stable dosages. There were negative correlations between clozapine serum levels and the amount of high-frequency EEG activity and positive correlations between high-frequency EEG activity and memory performance. These findings may suggest that clozapine treatment brings about dose-dependent impairments of vigilance and memory, for which a reduction of high-frequency EEG activity is indicative.

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Georg AdlerM.D. 

Clinical Neurophysiology Service

Central Institute of Mental Health

P.O. Box 12 21 20

68072 Mannheim

Germany

Phone: +49 (621) 1703-792

Fax: +49 (621) 23 429

Email: adler@zi-mannheim.de