Overall , nicotine replacement therapy , bupropion , and varenicline have all proven their effectiveness at either promoting smoking abstinence or a significant reduction in cigarette use
Smoking cessation is a chronic issue surrounding individuals with schizophrenia .
It is estimated that up to 90 % of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia smoke cigarettes .
The purpose of this article is to provide a non systematic review of the efficacy of  smoking cessation interventions as well as to explore the potential neuropsychiatric adverse effects of these agents in patients with schizophrenia .
Neuropsychological deficits are associated with smoking cessation treatment failure in patients with schizophrenia
Schizophrenics have deficits in neuropsychological performance , some of which are modified by cigarette smoking . These patients also have high rates of smoking and resistance to smoking cessation interventions . We examined whether the presence of neuropsychological deficits prior to smoking cessation treatment was associated with smoking cessation treatment failure in schizophrenic as compared to non-psychiatric control smokers . Neuropsychological assessment s were performed prior to treatment with pharmacological agents during the course of placebo-controlled trials in schizophrenic and non-psychiatric control smokers , and included the  Wisconsin Card Sorting Test ( WCST ) , a Visuospatial Working Memory ( VSWM ) task , the Stroop Color Word Test ( SCWT ) and the Continuous Performance Test ( CPT ) .  In schizophrenics ( n=32 ) , subjects who had greater deficits in VSWM and WCST performance were significantly less likely to quit smoking , but this association was not observed in controls ( n=40 ) . Differences between quitters and non-quitters were not likely related to atypical antipsychotic treatment or differences in depressive symptoms . No associations between baseline performance on CPT or SCWT and quit status were found in either group . These preliminary data suggest that in schizophrenics , neuropsychological deficits are associated with smoking cessation treatment failure
Overall , nicotine replacement therapy , bupropion , and varenicline have all proven their effectiveness at either promoting smoking abstinence or a significant reduction in cigarette use
Smoking cessation is a chronic issue surrounding individuals with schizophrenia .
It is estimated that up to 90 % of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia smoke cigarettes .
The purpose of this article is to provide a non systematic review of the efficacy of  smoking cessation interventions as well as to explore the potential neuropsychiatric adverse effects of these agents in patients with schizophrenia .