Neuropsychopharmacology News and Research

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Transforming postpartum depression treatment with neurosteroids

A new study in Neuropsychopharmacology delves into the mechanisms of action of brexanolone, the first FDA-approved, rapid-acting antidepressant specifically for postpartum depression (PPD). The research highlights brexanolone's potential anti-inflammatory effects and its impact on GABAA receptors, offering insights into its efficacy and suggesting avenues for further study.

19 Sep 2023

Experimental insomnia treatment may help prevent opioid relapse

A good night's sleep has many proven health benefits, and a new Scripps Research study suggests one more: preventing opioid relapse.

6 Sep 2023

Gut microbiome changes have significant effects on cocaine use and cravings

According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 4.8 million people (ages 12 and up) reported using cocaine within the previous 12 months, and 24,486 people died from an overdose involving cocaine.

3 Aug 2023

Circadian clock gene plays role in memory formation

A gene that plays a key role in regulating how bodies change across the 24-hour day also influences memory formation, allowing mice to consolidate memories better during the day than at night.

28 Jul 2023

Immune cells may play role in regulating maternal behavior

Immune system changes in the pregnant body that protect the fetus appear to extend to the brain, where a decrease in immune cells late in gestation may factor into the onset of maternal behavior, new research in rats suggests.

19 Jul 2023

Psilocybin-assisted therapy may provide more cost-effective solution to treating major depression disorder

A new study by leading academics in the psychedelics space finds that psilocybin combined with therapy could be more cost-effective at treating major depression disorders than currently used methods.

10 Jul 2023

Males are significantly more vulnerable than females to overdose deaths

Men were significantly more vulnerable than women to overdose deaths involving opioid and stimulant drugs in 2020-2021, according to a new study analyzing death records data from across the United States. The study found that men had a 2–3 times greater rate of overdose mortality from opioids (like fentanyl and heroin) and psychostimulants (like methamphetamine and cocaine).

15 Jun 2023

Study sheds light on the mechanisms of brain plasticity induced by fluoxetine

A recent study, published in Neuropsychopharmacology, conducted by researchers from the University of Helsinki and the University of Eastern Finland, sheds light on the mechanisms of neural plasticity induced by the antidepressant fluoxetine.

5 Apr 2023

Researchers use the drug fasudil to reverse two key symptoms of schizophrenia

A team from Nagoya University in Japan used the drug fasudil to reverse two common symptoms associated with schizophrenia: reduced density of pyramidal neurons and cognitive dysfunction associated with methamphetamine treatment.

17 Feb 2023

Scientists reveal why common anti-depressants cause emotional ‘blunting’ in users

Scientists have worked out why common anti-depressants cause around a half of users to feel emotionally 'blunted'.

23 Jan 2023

Common psychiatric medications can give some protection against COVID-19

A new meta-analysis shows that psychiatric medications can give some protection against COVID-19, with the common antidepressant fluvoxamine showing the strongest effect.

16 Dec 2022

Johns Hopkins researchers characterize a broad range of psychedelic occasioned belief changes

Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers continue their exploration into psychedelics and how these drugs may produce a wide range of profound changes in perception, cognition and mood.

9 Dec 2022

Scientists identify a class of drugs that may prevent alcohol use disorder in people with PTSD

Survivors of abuse and trauma are vastly more likely than other people to develop alcohol use disorder (AUD); according to some estimates, as many as three-quarters of people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) report drinking problems.

21 Nov 2022

Does CBD mitigate harms of cannabis?

Researchers examine adverse outcomes of THC could be alleviated by increasing the concentrations of CBD in these products.

20 Nov 2022

Understanding the brain correlates of dissociative disorders

Trauma can cause dissociative symptoms-;such as having an out-of-body experience, or feeling emotionally numb-;that may help an individual cope in the short term but can have negative impacts if the symptoms persist for a long period of time.

3 Nov 2022

Novel oxytocin derivative can reverse Aβ25-35-induced cognitive impairment in mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized by an accumulation of β-amyloid protein (Aβ) in brain tissue, is a leading cause of dementia.

24 Oct 2022

COVID pandemic saw a huge drop in patients seeking treatment for clinical depression

In the first study of its kind, German researchers have shown that the COVID pandemic saw a huge drop in the number of patients being admitted to hospital for clinical depression.

17 Oct 2022

Heart medication may also be effective for treating alcohol use disorder

A medication for heart problems and high blood pressure may also be effective for treating alcohol use disorder, according to a new study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health and their colleagues.

20 Sep 2022

Johns Hopkins researchers explore the link between psychedelics and consciousness

Psychedelic drugs, like psilocybin, an ingredient found in so-called magic mushrooms, have shown promise in treating a range of addictions and mental health disorders.

31 Mar 2022

European research project focuses on fighting against new psychoactive drugs

Promoting the fight against the use of drugs of abuse, anticipating to the appearance of new psychoactive drugs and assessing the risks these have on human health are the main objectives of the European research project approved by the European Commission and led by the Research Group on Neuropsychopharmacology of Amphetamine Derivatives of the University of Barcelona.

21 Feb 2022