Older people with schizophrenia suffer from greater physical comorbidity, cognitive impairment, and medication side effects compared to their younger counterparts. Unfortunately, little research is available to guide the treatment of subsyndromal depressive symptoms in older adults. This study will compare the antidepressant citalopram to placebo to determine the most effective treatment for reducing depressive symptoms in older patients with schizophrenia~After patients have been on stable treatment with antipsychotic medication for at least 4 weeks, they are randomly assigned to receive antipsychotic medication plus either citalopram or placebo for 3 months. Depressive symptoms and side effects are assessed weekly for the first month, biweekly for the second month, and again at the end of the third month. Cognition, motor and daily functioning, quality of life, and medication adherence are assessed throughout the study.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of citalopram (Celexa) for the treatment of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly patients with schizophrenia.