Psychopharmacology News and Research

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

Digital technologies help nonspecialist to offer mental health care in low-resource settings

Text messaging, mobile apps, and other digital technologies are being used in innovative ways to support nonspecialist health workers in increasing access to mental health care in low- and middle-income countries, according to a narrative review in the March/April issue of Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

10 Apr 2019

New study could help optimize SSRI dosing and minimize adverse effects in teens

In a simulated study, exposure to and maximum blood concentrations of two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors - commonly used to treat anxiety and depression in adolescents - differed depending on whether the teens modeled were poor, normal, rapid, or ultra-rapid metabolizers of the SSRIs.

9 Apr 2019

Online cannabis oils contain dangerous amounts of psychoactive THC

Scientists have published a review in the BMJ which calls for more research and regulations surrounding CBD oils offered by online sellers, after it was found that most contain the psychoactive ingredient THC.

8 Apr 2019

Clinical review offers advice for doctors in prescribing cannabinoids for certain conditions

A clinical review, published today for the BMJ, provides new interim advice for doctors and clinicians in prescribing cannabis-based products and cannabinoids to treat certain conditions.

8 Apr 2019

Study suggests HLD200 could provide novel, more flexible alternative to treating ADHD

A new three-part study showed that a delayed-release, extended-release form of methylphenidate could be given to adults in the evening with or without food and would not exert any clinically meaningful effect for at least 10 hours after administration.

2 Apr 2019

Roundworm study suggests alternatives for treatment of schizophrenia

A group of Brazilian scientists have long conducted experiments with roundworms to investigate the role of schizophrenia-linked genes in patients' response to antipsychotic drugs. The results obtained thus far point to new ways of understanding resistance to certain classes of medication.

20 Mar 2019

Use of synthetic psychedelic linked to improvements in depression and anxiety

Johns Hopkins researchers have discovered that use of the synthetic psychedelic 5-methocy-N,-N-dimethyltryptamine appears to be associated with unintended improvements in self-reported depression and anxiety when given in a ceremonial group setting.

19 Mar 2019

Review of research evidence suggests increased suicide rates in high-altitude areas

High-altitude areas-; particularly the US intermountain states-; have increased rates of suicide and depression, suggests a review of research evidence in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer.

11 Mar 2019

Saffron may be a promising herbal alternative for treating ADHD

A new short-term pilot study in children and teens 6-17 years old with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder has shown saffron to be as effective at controlling symptoms as methylphenidate, the commonly prescribed drug Ritalin.

21 Feb 2019

Mild ecstasy use linked to greater empathy, PTSD research

MDMA or ecstasy is a popular rave drug used in party circuits to generate euphoria and become more sociable. Researchers from the University of Exeter and University College London have also been studying this recreation drug of abuse for its possible medicinal use in post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol de-addiction.

11 Feb 2019

MDMA users have higher levels of empathy than other drug users

Long-term MDMA users have higher levels of empathy than cannabis and other drugs users, new research suggests.

11 Feb 2019

Study: Promising new treatment for children with ADHD shows improvement in efficacy

A new study in children aged 6 to 12 years of dasotraline, a promising new treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, showed significant improvement in efficacy in the treatment of ADHD compared to placebo beginning at week 1 and continuing throughout the study.

4 Feb 2019

Reassuring findings on the link between antidepressants and fertility

Based on limited research, there's no strong evidence that selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) - the most widely used class of antidepressants - have an adverse impact on fertility, according to a paper in the Harvard Review of Psychiatry.

25 Jan 2019

Psychopharmacology News and Research

Further Reading

Digital technologies help nonspecialist to offer mental health care in low-resource settings

New study could help optimize SSRI dosing and minimize adverse effects in teens

Online cannabis oils contain dangerous amounts of psychoactive THC

Clinical review offers advice for doctors in prescribing cannabinoids for certain conditions

Study suggests HLD200 could provide novel, more flexible alternative to treating ADHD

Roundworm study suggests alternatives for treatment of schizophrenia

Use of synthetic psychedelic linked to improvements in depression and anxiety

Review of research evidence suggests increased suicide rates in high-altitude areas

Saffron may be a promising herbal alternative for treating ADHD

Mild ecstasy use linked to greater empathy, PTSD research

MDMA users have higher levels of empathy than other drug users

Study: Promising new treatment for children with ADHD shows improvement in efficacy

Reassuring findings on the link between antidepressants and fertility

Improvements in pharmacological study to fight cognitive impairment in schizophrenia

Study proposes improvements in pharmacological study of cognitive function enhancers in schizophrenia

Incorrect prescribing warnings in electronic prescribing systems

Discovery would help specify role of genetics in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders

Drug used to treat PTSD does not reduce suicidal thinking, may worsen nightmares and insomnia

New reviews analyze symptom stability over the course of psychiatric disorders

Study reveals connection between hunger and mood

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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