Zyprexa and Task Engagement in Schizophrenia

Individuals with schizophrenia frequently have impairments in attention. These impairments have been shown to be related to overall functioning. Some research suggests that Olanzapine may be associated with improvement in various aspects of attention. The primary purpose of this study is to determine whether switching from a typical antipsychotic to Olanzapine improves task engagement. Individuals who taking typical antipsychotics will be randomly assigned to either 1) remain on their typical antipsychotic medications, or 2) be switched from their typical antipsychotic medications to Olanzapine. All participants will be enrolled in a twice-weekly 20 session cognitive training program that is specifically designed to target attention deficits and promote active engagement. Improvements in attention will be compared between individuals who remained on their typical antipsychotic medications and those that were switched to Olanzapine.