Neuropsychopharmacology News and Research

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Brain research funds crisis: Report

According to the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology there is a dramatic drop in private and public funding for research in brain diseases that has led to a “withdrawal of hope” for millions of sufferers and could delay the search for treatments and cures by 30 years.

16 Jun 2011

Ecstasy may cause long-term brain damage

Ecstasy - the illegal "rave" drug that produces feelings of euphoria and emotional warmth - has been in the news recently as a potential therapeutic. Clinical trials are testing Ecstasy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.

4 May 2011

Euthymics Bioscience initiates EB-1010 phase 2b/3a TRIADE clinical trial for major depressive disorder

Euthymics Bioscience, Inc. today announced the initiation of an advanced clinical study of its lead product candidate EB-1010 for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The TRIADE (Triple Reuptake Inhibitor Anti-Depressant Effects) trial is a phase 2b/3a clinical trial designed to assess the safety and efficacy of EB-1010, a novel serotonin-preferring triple reuptake inhibitor.

14 Mar 2011

Tobacco smoking leads to less activity in the 'executive center' of brain

Tobacco smoking is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S., with more than 400,000 deaths each year attributable to smoking or its consequences. And yet teens still smoke. Indeed, smoking usually begins in the teen years, and approximately 80 percent of adult smokers became hooked by the time they were 18. Meanwhile, teens who don't take up smoking usually never do.

3 Mar 2011

Whites with mutations more likely to be susceptible to cocaine abuse

Nearly one in five whites could carry a genetic variant that substantially increases their odds of being susceptible to severe cocaine abuse, according to new research.

21 Dec 2010

Clue to the blues that come with the flu

Vanderbilt University researchers may have found a clue to the blues that can come with the flu - depression may be triggered by the same mechanisms that enable the immune system to respond to infection.

21 Dec 2010

Omega-3 EPA or combination of EPA and DHA provide clear antidepressant benefits

Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago completed a review of previously published research on antidepressant benefits of Omega-3 essential fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The review comprised a meta-analysis of 15 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in patients with depression and results were presented at the recent annual meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

16 Dec 2010

Neuropeptide S protein boosts memory

UC Irvine researchers have identified a novel mechanism in the brain that boosts memory.

15 Dec 2010

Sunovion reports results of Latuda third phase 3 worldwide clinical trial for schizophrenia

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced the results of the PEARL 3 study, the third phase 3 worldwide clinical trial of Latuda® (lurasidone HCl) tablets, a once-daily atypical antipsychotic agent recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia. In this six-week, placebo-controlled trial, both fixed doses of LATUDA 80 and 160 mg once-daily, demonstrated statistically significant improvement in symptoms of schizophrenia versus placebo across both primary and secondary efficacy measures.

9 Dec 2010

Euthymics announces EB-1010 Phase II data for major depressive disorder at ACNP meeting

9 Dec 2010

Euthymics's EB-1010 effective in treatment of major depressive disorder: Study

Euthymics Bioscience, Inc. today will present Phase II clinical data demonstrating that its lead product candidate EB-1010, a next-generation antidepressant, is effective for treating major depressive disorder (MDD) based on multiple standard measures of outcome for depression. EB-1010 also improved measures of anhedonia, a hallmark symptom of MDD, which is characterized by the inability to experience pleasure.

9 Dec 2010

Omega-3 fatty acids have antidepressant properties: Study

A new analysis of the effects of omega-3 essential fatty acids offers the hope of enhanced treatment options for tens of millions of people with depression. Two critical omega-3 essential fatty acids available from certain food or nutritional supplements but not manufactured by the body—Eicosapentenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) — play a role in optimal brain functioning and have antidepressant benefits that have not been fully recognized.

8 Dec 2010

Titan third quarter net loss decreases to $0.4 million

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2010.

15 Nov 2010

Pfizer's two new compounds may be effective in treating alcohol, nicotine dependence

Researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco, and Pfizer Inc., have determined that two new compounds may be effective in treating both alcohol and nicotine dependence at the same time.

4 Nov 2010

Childhood abuse may lead to physiological consequences later in life

Seemingly healthy adults, if they were abused or neglected during childhood, may suffer physiological consequences decades later. In research published online last week by the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, a team led by psychiatrists at Brown University and Butler Hospital found that healthy adults who reported being mistreated as kids appear to have an elevated inflammatory response to stress compared to adults who had happier childhoods.

8 Oct 2010

Highlights of 23rd Congress of European College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2010

More than 7,000 psychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists and neuroscience researchers from all over the world met at the 23rd Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) from 28 August to 1 September 2010 in Amsterdam.

10 Sep 2010

ECNP honors Kaj Blennow with 2010 Neuropsychopharmacology Award

The European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) is pleased to announce Kaj Blennow as the recipient of the 2010 ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award in recognition of his original and influential contributions to Alzheimer's disease research. The ECNP Neuropsychopharmacology Award is presented annually and recognises distinguished research in neuropsychopharmacology and closely related disciplines. The award is accompanied by a prize of - 20,000.

8 Sep 2010

Neurobiological markers of depression can help tailor antidepressant treatment to the brain

Depression is actually defined by specific clinical symptoms such as sadness, difficulty to experience pleasure, sleep problems etc., present for at least two weeks, with impairment of psychosocial functioning. These symptoms guide the physician to make a diagnosis and to select antidepressant treatment such as drugs or psychotherapy.

31 Aug 2010

Latest achievements in brain research and treatment for mental disorders

Mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, addiction and schizophrenia are the core challenge of most health care systems around the world. In the EU alone, each year 27% of the total adult population - this corresponds to 83 Million citizens - suffer from mental disorders. Depression alone affects almost 20 million ranking in the EU as the most disabling disorder of all diseases.

30 Aug 2010

23rd ECNP Press conference on impact of circadian rhythms on human brain

All humans are synchronised to the rhythmic light-dark changes that occur on a daily basis. Rhythms in physiological and biochemical processes and behavioural patterns persist in the absence of all external 24-hour signals from the physical environment, with a period that is close to 24 hours

30 Aug 2010