Bexarotene Augmentation of Antipsychotic Treatment for Chronic Schizophrenia

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Age 18-60 years, male or female 2. DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder. 3. Ability and willingness to sign informed consent for participation in the study 4. Stable blood parameters including adequate hematologic function, defined as WBC ≥ 4.300/μL, absolute neutrophil count ≥3.000/μL (\> 50%), and platelet count ≥ 180,000/μL; normal coagulation parameters; bilirubin ≤1.5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN); AST/ALT ≤ 2.5 × ULN; and serum creatinine ≤1.5 mg/dL. 5. Only patients who had a normal baseline fasting triglyceride (FTG) level will be entered into the study; triglycerides may be normalized before study entry with use of an antilipemic agent. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Lipid abnormalities. Fasting triglyceride normal (normalization with an antilipemic allowed prior to study entry). 2. Leucopenia or neutropenia. Hematopoietic: Hemoglobin at least 12.5 g/dL; WBC\< 4300/μL; Absolute neutrophil count \< 3000/μL; Platelet count \< 155,000/μL 3. Evidence of organic brain damage, mental retardation, alcohol or drug abuse 4. Impairment of renal function 5. Hepatic dysfunction 6. A history of pancreatitis 7. Thyroid axis alterations 8. Suicide attempt in past year. 9. Cataracts. 10. Systemic treatment with more than 15,000 IU of vitamin A daily. 11. Patients with a known hypersensitivity to bexarotene or other components of the product. 12. Pregnant women or a woman who intends to become pregnant.