Guanfacine Adjunctive Treatment to Atypical Antipsychotics for Cognitive Dysfunction in Schizophrenia

Exclusion Criteria

• •1. Have a recent history (within previous year) of serious suicide, homicide, or serious physical violence, or current suicidal or homicidal thoughts
• •2. Active use of illicit substances.
• •3. Meet DSM-IV criteria for a current episode of major depression or mania.
• •4. Have a history of severe head trauma, neurological disorder or medical illness which may contribute to the patient's psychiatric symptoms and cognitive impairment.
• •5. Have a medical illness which requires that they take any medication that has CNS activity or which is known to interact with guanfacine (e.g barbiturates, apha-1 antagonists, beta blockers).
• •6. Receive treatment with other concomitant neuroleptics in addition to risperidone or olanzapine.
• •7. Receive concomitant anticholinergic drugs, or. If the patient receives benzodiazepines, they must be short or intermediate acting (e.g. alprazolam, lorazepam) and they must be held 48 hours prior to cognitive testing. Treatment with mood stabilizers such as lithium and depakote will be allowed for this study. If the patients is receiving treatment with lithium the level must be \< 1 meq/l.
• •8. Are unable to give informed consent.
• •9. Have a history of developmental disorder or less than an eighth grade reading level.
• •10. Have a history of bowel obstruction or untreated benign prostatic hypertrophy. Are taking antihypertensive medications of the class of beta-blockers, alpha-1 antagonists, calcium channel blockers, or alpha-2 agonists.