Psychosis News and Research

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Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality". People suffering from psychosis are said to be ''psychotic.''

Virtual patient can help future physicians more comfortable and capable assessing suicide risk

A virtual patient named Denise may help future physicians feel more comfortable and capable assessing suicide risk.

7 Jan 2013

Brain structure linked to neuropsychopathology in psychosis patients

Results from an Italian study show that the structural development of key brain regions is associated with neuropsychopathology in patients with first-episode schizophrenia.

19 Dec 2012

Default mode network impaired in young adults at risk for psychosis

Young adults at genetic risk for psychosis show reduced activity in the default mode network area of the brain compared with those without such a family history, researchers report.

18 Dec 2012

Physicians should not prescribe cognitive enhancers to healthy people

Physicians should not prescribe cognitive enhancers to healthy individuals, states a report being published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

18 Dec 2012

Schizophrenia tends to be elevated in more urban communities: Study

Higher rates of schizophrenia in urban areas can be attributed to increased deprivation, increased population density and an increase in inequality within a neighbourhood, new research reveals.

15 Dec 2012

Diabetes risk increased in relatives of schizophrenia patients

The prevalence of diabetes is increased in the unaffected relatives of patients with non-affective psychosis, results from a Dutch study show.

14 Dec 2012

Fatal imbalance between global disease burden and drug development

Despite important progress in research and development (R&D) for global health over the past decade, only a small fraction of new medicines developed between 2000 and 2011 were for the treatment of neglected diseases, highlighting the 'fatal imbalance' between global disease burden and drug development for some of the world most devastating illnesses, said Doctors Without Borders/M-decins Sans Fronti-res (MSF) and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), in an analysis to be presented today at an international conference aimed at spurring medical innovations for these diseases.

13 Dec 2012

Cognitive remediation may benefit youth with psychosis

Results from a Swiss study suggest that computer-assisted cognitive remediation may help improve certain aspects of cognition in adolescent patients with or at risk for psychosis.

11 Dec 2012

Depression, anxiety not linked to psychosis transition

Depression and anxiety disorders are common in patients at increased clinical risk for psychosis, but do not appear to influence transition to full-blown psychosis, say UK researchers.

5 Dec 2012

Family history best discriminator of bipolar disorder from depression in young people

A family history of bipolar, psychotic, or substance use disorders best differentiates adolescents and young adults with emerging bipolar disorder from those with unipolar depression, say Australian researchers.

4 Dec 2012

Suicide ‘a major concern’ in childhood psychosis

Children and adolescents with a first episode of psychosis should be monitored closely for suicidal behavior, say researchers who found that more than 12% of such patients attempted suicide over a 24-month period.

29 Nov 2012

Pfizer completes acquisition of NextWave Pharmaceuticals

Pfizer Inc. today announced that it has completed its acquisition of NextWave Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held, specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

29 Nov 2012

Off label atypical antipsychotic use lacks safety and effectiveness in patients over 40

In older adults, antipsychotic drugs are commonly prescribed off-label for a number of disorders outside of their Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications - schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The largest number of antipsychotic prescriptions in older adults is for behavioral disturbances associated with dementia, some of which carry FDA warnings on prescription information for these drugs.

28 Nov 2012

Childhood abuse linked to altered gray matter in psychosis

Sexual abuse in childhood is associated with significant gray matter volume reductions in patients with psychosis, US researchers report.

23 Nov 2012

Antioxidant defense reduced in teens with psychotic family history

Mentally healthy adolescents with a family history of psychosis have lower total antioxidant status, indicating increased oxidative stress, than those without such a family history.

22 Nov 2012

TAU researcher connects computer communications and psychosis

As Internet access becomes increasingly widespread, so do related psychopathologies such as Internet addiction and delusions related to the technology and to virtual relationships. Computer communications such as Facebook and chat groups are an important part of this story, says Dr. Uri Nitzan of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Shalvata Mental Health Care Center in a new paper published in the Israel Journal of Psychiatry and Related Sciences.

21 Nov 2012