What Researchers Did
Researchers reported on a single patient with schizophrenia and carbon monoxide poisoning who experienced cognitive and psychotic symptom improvement after taking donepezil, following unsuccessful hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
A 38-year-old male with schizophrenia developed delayed neurological sequelae after carbon monoxide poisoning. Despite receiving 10 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, his cognitive impairment persisted. However, after being administered 5-10 mg of donepezil, both his cognitive function and psychotic symptoms showed remarkable improvement.
Canadian Relevance
Although this study was not conducted in Canada, it covers carbon monoxide poisoning, which is a Health Canada-recognised indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
As a case report, this study describes the experience of only one patient, meaning its findings cannot be generalized to all individuals with similar conditions.