Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia Respond to Milnacipran Augmentation Therapy: A Case Report

We report a 37-year-old male patient with schizophrenia and negative symptoms including blunted affect, avolition, alogia and asociality. Unexpectedly, the addition of milnacipran, a serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor and approved as an antidepressant, to his existing psychotropic regimen including aripiprazole selectively improved his negative symptoms. The present findings suggest that milnacipran addition to aripiprazole may be useful for treating negative symptoms in some schizophrenic patients. The present findings may warrant further controlled studies to substantiate the potential of role of milnacipran in treating the disabling negative symptoms of schizophrenia (German J Psychiatry 2009; 12: 32-34).