Effect of Exercise on Clinical Symptoms, Cognitive Performance, and Quality of Life in Schizophrenia Patients Treated With Clozapine

Investigating the Effect of Exercise on Clinical Symptoms, Cognitive Performance, and Quality of Life in Schizophrenia Patients Treated With Clozapine

This prospective study aims to investigate the effects of exercise on clinical symptoms, cognitive performance, and quality of life in schizophrenia patients treated with Clozapine.

The first developed atypical antipsychotic is clozapine. Its efficacy has been demonstrated in individuals with schizophrenia who have insufficient response to other antipsychotic therapies; nonetheless, its adverse effect profile is extensive. Among the antipsychotic medications now available, clozapine is not utilized as a first-line therapy because of major side effects such agranulocytosis. Increased salivation, sleepiness, weight gain, changes in blood pressure (sometimes an increase, sometimes a drop), elevated heart rate, dizziness, exhaustion, constipation, fever, and nocturnal enuresis are common adverse effects of clozapine usage.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients treated who were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-V criteria by psychiatrist at the Turkish Ministry of Health Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital
• using a therapeutic dose of 300-500 mg/day of clozapine,

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnancy