The Benefit of Minocycline on Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The Benefit of Minocycline on Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Extent and Mechanisms

• IRAS ID

  59516

• Contact name

  J F W Deakin

• Sponsor organisation

  Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust

• Eudract number

  2010-022463-35

• Research summary

  One of the major disabilities affecting the quality of life of people with schizophrenia is the development of a set of so-called negative symptoms comprising social withdrawal, self-neglect, loss of motivation and mild impairment of intelligence. Standard drug treatments are effective in reducing psychotic symptoms such as paranoid delusions (false persecutory beliefs) and hearing voices, but they have little impact on negative symptoms. Two formal clinical trials suggest that a standard antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drug minocycline, commonly used in acne and other infections, reduces negative symptoms. In both studies patients with stable symptoms took either minocycline or dummy tablets (placebo) in addition to their routine treatment for 6 or 12 months. Negative symptoms improved twice as much in those taking additional minocycline than in those taking the dummy tablets. It also lessened the weight gain that standard treatments usually cause. Other studies suggest that minocycline may also improve positive symptoms (psychotic) in acute episodes of illness. The proposal is to compare minocycline with placebo added to each person's treatment within 3 years of starting their treatment. The effects on positive and negative symptoms will be followed over 15 months. Minocycline might work by protecting brain cells from damage possibly caused by inflammation. Brain scans will tell us whether subtle changes in the grey matter of the brain in schizophrenia are lessened by minocycline over 12 months and whether this accounts for reduced negative symptoms. Measuring chemicals (cytokines) in the blood will tell us whether minocycline is working by blocking inflammation in the brain. This multi-centre UK-wide study will be carried out by a group of experienced researchers in early psychosis that have worked together over several years to set up and test a secure UK research network for research assessments with people in their first episode of psychosis, called PsyGrid (www.psygrid.org).

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  11/NW/0218

• Date of REC Opinion

  6 Jul 2011

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion