Psychopharmacology
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Varenicline as a smoking cessation aid in schizophrenia: effects on smoking behavior and reward sensitivity.
Smoking rates are up to five times higher in people with schizophrenia than in the general population, placing these individuals at high risk for smoking-related health problems. Varenicline, an α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist, is a promising aid for smoking cessation in this population. To maximize treatment efficacy while minimizing risks, it is critical to identify reliable predictors of positive response to varenicline in smokers with schizophrenia. ⋯ These data suggest that affective flattening symptoms in smokers with schizophrenia may predict response to varenicline.