Psychopharmacology News and Research

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Psychopharmacology is the study of drug-induced changes in mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior.

Researchers identify distinct profiles of brain activity present when making decisions

Although choosing to do something because the perceived benefit outweighs the financial cost is something people do daily, little is known about what happens in the brain when a person makes these kinds of decisions.

12 Mar 2014

Harvard Review of Psychiatry provides updates on ASD research

Recent years have seen exciting progress in key areas of research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD): from possible genetic causes, to effective treatments for common symptoms and clinical problems, to promoting success for young people with ASD entering college. Updates on these and other advances in ASD research are presented in the March special issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

10 Mar 2014

Just one drink can affect driving abilities of older drivers

You may have only had one glass of wine with dinner, but if you're 55 or older, that single serving may hit you hard enough to make you a dangerous driver.

10 Mar 2014

FSU researchers link prenatal nicotine exposure to future ADHD

Prenatal exposure to nicotine could manifest as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children born a generation later, according to a new study by Florida State University College of Medicine researchers.

28 Feb 2014

Research examines differences between male and female brain that contributes to violent behavior

Human behaviors such as violence depend on interactions in the brain between genetic and environmental factors. An individual may be more vulnerable to developing violent behaviors if they have predisposing factors and are then exposed to stress, abuse, or other triggers, especially early in life.

6 Feb 2014

Susceptible loci identified for bipolar I disorder in Taiwanese

Researchers have identified three genetic loci that may be linked to bipolar I disorder risk in Taiwanese individuals.

29 Jan 2014

10 simple points to know and monitor alcohol intake

Much the same way individuals are encouraged to know their blood pressure and cholesterol numbers to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a new editorial in the Journal of Psychopharmacology urges the European public to know and monitor their alcohol intake number using a simple 10 point plan.

7 Jan 2014

Portage acquires approximately 54% equity in Biohaven

Portage Biotech Inc., is pleased to announce that it has acquired approximately 54% equity in Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Limited, a private corporation formed under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, for $3.5 million, payable as $1.75 million upfront and the balance in three installments over the next eleven months.

6 Jan 2014

"Appearance exposure" on Internet linked to body image disturbance among adolescent girls

"Appearance exposure" on the Internet has been linked to body image disturbance among adolescent girls. A new study that links specific Facebook activities, but not overall Facebook use to body dissatisfaction and a drive for thinness in teen girls is published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

4 Dec 2013

Modafinil in combination with antidepressants reduces severity of depression more effectively

A new study has concluded that taking the drug modafinil, typically used to treat sleep disorders, in combination with antidepressants reduces the severity of depression more effectively than taking antidepressants alone.

28 Nov 2013

Cocaine addicts may become trapped in drug binges due to emotional lows, says study

Cocaine addicts may become trapped in drug binges - not because of the euphoric highs they are chasing but rather the unbearable emotional lows they desperately want to avoid.

7 Nov 2013

Lack of neurocognitive gender differences in early psychosis

Impairments in neurocognition do not occur at a higher rate in males than in females at the onset of psychosis, suggest findings published in Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry.

5 Nov 2013

Research unlocks secrets of mouse behavior to help identify promising psychiatric drugs

Developing psychiatric medications is a long and complex process. Candidate drugs are evaluated and assessed based on their effects on the behavior of animals, usually rats or mice. Each class of drugs, from antidepressants to antipsychotics, is tested differently - often in a labor-intensive process that leaves plenty of room for human error. And there is a growing consensus that current procedures fail to effectively produce new medications.

25 Oct 2013

Oxytocin shows evidence of therapeutic value for autism, schizophrenia

The hormone oxytocin could play a role in treating psychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia, according to a review article in the September Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

17 Sep 2013

Study finds increase in use of stimulant medications to treat children and teens with ADHD

Use of stimulant medications to treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in children and adolescents has increased significantly over the past several years.

11 Sep 2013

Studies suggest need for more research to better understand caffeine addiction

Studies have shown that caffeine users can become dependent on or addicted to caffeine and may have difficulty reducing their consumption, as can occur with other drugs of dependence. A comprehensive review of the current evidence on caffeine dependence is presented in an article in Journal of Caffeine Research, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

10 Sep 2013

Acute manic episodes linked to increased edema risk

Bipolar disorder patients admitted to hospital with a manic episode are at an increased risk for lower limb edema, compared with their peers with depressive or non-affective psychosis episodes, study findings show.

5 Sep 2013

Research examines people who use social networking sites to monitor their romantic partners

With the widespread popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook, it is increasingly common for people to use interpersonal electronic surveillance to monitor the activities of current and former romantic partners.

30 Aug 2013

Alcohol reduces communication in areas of brain responsible for perceiving social cues

Alcohol intoxication reduces communication between two areas of the brain that work together to properly interpret and respond to social signals, according to researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine.