Research on the effects of amphetamine in schizophrenia is conflicting. It is known that amphetamine may cause paranoid psychosis. On the other hand transitory improvement in some patients given acute doses of amphetamine has been reported. It is reasonable to speculate that negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as anergia, lack of motivation, flattened affect, and poor planning may be amenable to such treatment. In addition, patients with schizophrenia generally do poorly on neuropsychological tests thought to assess frontal lobe functioning. We therefore propose a pharmacological strategy involving the administration of amphetamine in the hope that this drug may reverse some of the abnormalities found in chronic schizophrenia whether they be symptomatic or cognitive. However, to reduce the risk of worsening psychotic symptoms dopamimetic therapy, all patients will be maintained on a neuroleptic.
