Treatment of adolescent psychoses with olanzapine: A preliminary report

Abstract

In an adolescent unit we have treated seven adolescents with long-lasting illnesses who had been assessed as having ?schizophrenic, schizotypal or delusional disorders? (F 20-F 29 in ICD-10) with olanzapine. The results were generally positive. The possible adverse effects of the so-called atypical antipsychotic agents are, however, not fully known. Controlled and longitudinal studies of the therapeutic and adverse effects of the atypical antipsychotics should therefore be done. There is a need for improved antipsychotic medication for these young patients, who will need medication for many years. The conclusions should be used with caution owing to the small size of the non-randomized material, the retrospective method of the study, and the limited follow-up time.