Psychopharmacology News and Research

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

Brain scans reveal link between SSRI use and cognitive function

Researchers have found that SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) antidepressants have the potential to improve certain cognitive functions, such as verbal memory. They measured brain function in patients before and after taking the SSRI escitalopram and correlated this to a drop in the level of one of the serotonin receptors in the brain and to cognitive improvements during treatment.

22 Sep 2024

Understanding the risk of NMS in young patients

A new study in the peer-reviewed Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology estimated the incidence of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a potentially fatal adverse effect of antipsychotic treatment, among individuals ages 5-24 years.

19 Sep 2024

Exploring the role of suvorexant in reducing delirium among older adults

Delirium is a sudden onset and temporary state of disturbed consciousness or cognition, occurring due to underlying medical issues like fever or alcohol withdrawal.

29 Aug 2024

Hybrid cognitive behavioral therapy shows lasting benefits for pediatric anxiety and OCD

Jacqueline Sperling, PhD, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School, and co-program director of the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program, led a study investigating the sustainability of outcomes from an intensive group and family-based outpatient cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) program, that included a hybrid of in-person and virtual treatment sessions for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

23 Aug 2024

Study pinpoints brain area critical to oxycodone relapse prevention

Even years after they have recovered, a person who once struggled with alcohol or opioid addiction can relapse-;and that relapse is more likely to occur during particularly stressful times.

9 Jul 2024

Psilocybin use initiates hyperconnectivity in the brain linked to ego-modifying effects

A new study shows that the use of psilocybin, a compound found in the widely known "magic mushrooms," initiates a pattern of hyperconnectivity in the brain linked to the ego-modifying effects and feelings of oceanic boundlessness.

23 May 2024

New natural supplement shows promise in preventing postpartum blues

A new study published in the Lancet discovery science journal eClinicalMedicine has confirmed that a novel natural supplement-;invented, researched, developed and commercialized at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)-;prevents postpartum blues, and reduces symptoms of postpartum depression over the following six months after giving birth.

10 Apr 2024

Kennedy Krieger Institute sheds light on autism management in Pediatric Clinics journal

Researchers at Kennedy Krieger Institute are sharing their expertise on autism spectrum disorder in a medical journal reaching thousands of pediatric professionals worldwide.

1 Apr 2024

Delta opioid receptor agonist reduces anxiety-like behavior in mice

Anxiety-related disorders can have a profound impact on the mental health and quality of life of affected individuals.

22 Feb 2024

Scientists discover how oxytocin influences memory in animals

Oxytocin (OXT) is a hormone that is known for its effects on psychological well-being and emotional bonding in animals.

13 Feb 2024

Blood pressure drug could help lower anxiety for kids and young adults with ASD

A new study at the University of Missouri's Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment found that propranolol, a medication that treats high blood pressure, can also help lower anxiety for kids and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

23 Jan 2024

Study suggests alcohol impairs face asymmetry detection, but perceptual distortion does not contribute to the ‘beer goggles'

Researchers examined the impact of real-world alcoholism on judgments of facial attractivity and symmetry across a single set of face stimuli.

19 Dec 2023

Intermittent use of benzodiazepines linked with fewer side effects

More than 60 years after being introduced, doctors have uncovered the first reliable evidence to confirm the belief that taking benzodiazepines such as Valium and Ativan intermittently rather than continuously is associated with fewer side effects and reduced falls, hospitalizations and deaths.

9 Oct 2023

Research review focuses on the use of psilocybin for treatment of depression

A growing body of evidence suggests that psychedelic drugs may be useful in treating various mental health conditions.

8 Sep 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

World-renowned researcher receives top award for contributions to clinical psychopharmacology

Dennis Charney, MD, the Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and President for Academic Affairs of the Mount Sinai Health System, has received the prestigious Donald Klein Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Society for Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP).

26 Jun 2023

Xylazine can exacerbate the life-threatening effects of opioids, rat study shows

A new study in rats suggests that xylazine, the active ingredient in a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use, can worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids.

21 Jun 2023

Truly random drug testing: ADHD patients face uneven urine screens and, sometimes, stigma

Some adults who take prescription medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are required to have their urine tested for drugs several times a year. Others never are tested.

28 Mar 2023

Speech pattern analysis can help diagnose, manage psychiatric disorders

Objective measurement of psychiatric disorders has long proved challenging. Yet, there is ample evidence that analysis of speech patterns can accurately diagnose depression and psychosis, measure their severity, and predict their onset, according to a literature review featured in the January/February issue of the Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

9 Jan 2023

Expert panel recommends revisions to gender-affirming care guidelines

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people often seek social, medical, and surgical gender-affirming care from a variety of healthcare professionals.

19 Dec 2022