Abstract
Literature suggest that antipsychotic medications may decrease cortisol level, an effect that seems to be more present with second generation antipsychotic. Our study aims at assessing effect of long term use of antipsychotics on cortisol level
30 chronic schizophrenic patients on antipsychotics compared to 20 drug naïf schizophrenic patients as regards serum cortisol level
Cortisol level was significantly lower in chronic schizophrenic patients receiving antipsychotics compared to drug naïf patients (P=0.002 <0.05)
Antipsychotic medications seem to have the potential to decrease cortisol level in blood. Among hypothesis proposed in literature is the good control of pseudo stress due to psychotic features