by Jackie Hart, MD
Q: Are there alternative approaches for treating schizophrenia? How good is traditional Chinese medicine for this condition?
A: is a mental illness that is somewhat difficult to characterize, but generally incorporates a combination of certain thought disorders, including having a different perception of reality than most people, hallucinations, delusions, disorganized and fragmented thinking, and incongruent and inappropriate emotional expression.
In responding to this interesting question, I want to clearly state that I am not a psychiatrist and I therefore cannot make specific recommendations to someone with schizophrenia. What I can speak about are some intriguing findings in the medical literature suggesting potential alternative therapies that may work as adjuncts to standard anti-psychotic medications and individual or group therapy, all of which comprise the standard treatment for schizophrenia. In addition, I have spoken to a few psychiatric experts in the Boston area who shared their thinking on complementary and alternative approaches that may be helpful additions to the current approach to care.
Acupuncture
There were a few case reports in the late 1970s of people who experienced improvement in symptoms of and, which often accompany schizophrenia, when given acupuncture treatments. A Russian study in 1987 also found improvement in symptoms of depression when acupuncture was used as an adjunctive treatment for people with schizophrenia who took standard medications. An Italian review of all studies looking at acupuncture and schizophrenia, however, concluded that acupuncture for schizophrenia is not clearly helpful nor harmful. More research is clearly needed.
Chinese herbs
One study in 1998 randomly assigned 80 people with schizophrenia to either traditional Chinese herbal medicines or standard anti-psychotic medications, such as clozapine or risperidone. People taking the medications had more improvement in their symptoms specific to schizophrenia than those taking the Chinese herbs. The people taking the herbs, however, did experience more improvement in the associated anxiety and depression. The psychiatric experts I interviewed suggest that there may be room for traditional Chinese medicine to be used in addition to, not in lieu of, the more standard approach.
Gingko biloba
A Chinese study published in 1997 studied the effects of ginkgo biloba (120 mg three times a day) when used in addition to standard anti-psychotic medication in more than 270 patients; another 270 patients took a placebo three times per day in addition to their usual medication for schizophrenia. Those who took the ginkgo showed improvement in the areas of thought organization and exhibited less social withdrawal as measured by some standard assessment scales used for schizophrenia. One psychiatrist with whom I spoke says that ginkgo may work because it is purported to help with cognitive deficits and because it has some antioxidant effects. He reports that there are ongoing studies currently looking at ginkgo as an adjunct to standard therapy for schizophrenia.
Another expert suggests that complementary approaches, such as herbs or acupuncture, may be good for controlling side effects from some of the standard medications, such as excessive salivation and even movement disorders of the face, tongue and limbs.
Anyone considering adding these complementary therapies to an existing treatment regimen should talk to the physician who treats their condition.
Q: Are there alternative approaches for treating schizophrenia? How good is traditional Chinese medicine for this condition?
A: is a mental illness that is somewhat difficult to characterize, but generally incorporates a combination of certain thought disorders, including having a different perception of reality than most people, hallucinations, delusions, disorganized and fragmented thinking, and incongruent and inappropriate emotional expression.
In responding to this interesting question, I want to clearly state that I am not a psychiatrist and I therefore cannot make specific recommendations to someone with schizophrenia. What I can speak about are some intriguing findings in the medical literature suggesting potential alternative therapies that may work as adjuncts to standard anti-psychotic medications and individual or group therapy, all of which comprise the standard treatment for schizophrenia. In addition, I have spoken to a few psychiatric experts in the Boston area who shared their thinking on complementary and alternative approaches that may be helpful additions to the current approach to care.
Acupuncture
There were a few case reports in the late 1970s of people who experienced improvement in symptoms of and, which often accompany schizophrenia, when given acupuncture treatments. A Russian study in 1987 also found improvement in symptoms of depression when acupuncture was used as an adjunctive treatment for people with schizophrenia who took standard medications. An Italian review of all studies looking at acupuncture and schizophrenia, however, concluded that acupuncture for schizophrenia is not clearly helpful nor harmful. More research is clearly needed.
Chinese herbs
One study in 1998 randomly assigned 80 people with schizophrenia to either traditional Chinese herbal medicines or standard anti-psychotic medications, such as clozapine or risperidone. People taking the medications had more improvement in their symptoms specific to schizophrenia than those taking the Chinese herbs. The people taking the herbs, however, did experience more improvement in the associated anxiety and depression. The psychiatric experts I interviewed suggest that there may be room for traditional Chinese medicine to be used in addition to, not in lieu of, the more standard approach.
Gingko biloba
A Chinese study published in 1997 studied the effects of ginkgo biloba (120 mg three times a day) when used in addition to standard anti-psychotic medication in more than 270 patients; another 270 patients took a placebo three times per day in addition to their usual medication for schizophrenia. Those who took the ginkgo showed improvement in the areas of thought organization and exhibited less social withdrawal as measured by some standard assessment scales used for schizophrenia. One psychiatrist with whom I spoke says that ginkgo may work because it is purported to help with cognitive deficits and because it has some antioxidant effects. He reports that there are ongoing studies currently looking at ginkgo as an adjunct to standard therapy for schizophrenia.
Another expert suggests that complementary approaches, such as herbs or acupuncture, may be good for controlling side effects from some of the standard medications, such as excessive salivation and even movement disorders of the face, tongue and limbs.
Anyone considering adding these complementary therapies to an existing treatment regimen should talk to the physician who treats their condition.