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.''

Iloperidone shows promise for Akathisia

According to study results presented at the 2007 American Psychiatric Association annual meeting, iloperidone, an investigational atypical antipsychotic, was shown to have a favorable akathisia profile.

24 May 2007

FDA approves INVEGA treatment for schizophrenia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved INVEGA (paliperidone) Extended-Release Tablets, a new once-daily, atypical antipsychotic, for the long-term maintenance treatment of schizophrenia.

30 Apr 2007

Heavy use of cannabis triggers psychotic illnesses

Scientists in the UK say the heavy consumption of the drug cannabis may trigger psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia.

30 Apr 2007

Brits over-react to threat of crystal meth

In order to prevent the illegal production of the highly addictive drug, crystal meth, authorities in Britain are considering making some cold medicines available on a prescription-only basis.

26 Apr 2007

Collagen injected meatballs!

Injecting meatballs with collagen can help the meat to retain the important nutrients iodine and thiamine, a new study by researchers from the Agricultural University of Poznan in Poland shows.

18 Apr 2007

Depression linked with a specific autoantibody and central nervous system dysfunction in lupus

Systemic lupus erythomatosus (SLE), often simply called lupus, is a complex autoimmune disease marked by joint pain, skin rashes, extreme fatigue, and depression, among other symptoms.

27 Feb 2007

Childhood abuse could significantly increase the risk of psychosis in later life

Using data from a large American epidemiological mental health survey, based on a nationally representative sample of over 5000 people, Dr Mark Shevlin and Dr Gary Adamson found that social and environmental factors, such as childhood abuse, could significantly increase the risk of psychosis in later life.

23 Jan 2007

Experts say "schizophrenia label" a harmful concept which should be dropped

British mental health experts say the term schizophrenia should abandoned as it has little scientific validity, and is imprecise and stigmatizing.

From The University of Manchester 10 Oct 2006

Acne drug Roaccutane linked to depression

A drug commonly used to treat severe acne can lead to depressive behaviour in mice, according to research published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

19 Sep 2006

The public face of mental illness

Both the tabloid and the broadsheet press have consistently given disproportionate and sensationalized coverage to psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia, often linking them to serious crime.

30 Aug 2006

Hallucinogen in mushrooms creates mystical/spiritual experiences

Using unusually rigorous scientific conditions and measures, Johns Hopkins researchers have shown that the active agent in "sacred mushrooms" can induce mystical/spiritual experiences descriptively identical to spontaneous ones people have reported for centuries.

11 Jul 2006

Antipsychotic use in children increasing

A steadily increasing number of patients younger than age 20 received prescriptions for antipsychotic medications between 1993 and 2002, according to a report published in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

9 Jun 2006

Olanzapine appears to lower or delay full-blown psychosis

For young people who clearly seem to be developing early signs of schizophrenia, treatment with the antipsychotic drug olanzapine appears to lower or delay the rate of conversion to full-blown psychosis, according to an article by a Yale School of Medicine researcher in the May issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry.

3 May 2006

Study finds nationwide increase in antipsychotic medications used for children with ADHD

A disturbing nationwide trend has been documented by a researcher at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt: Doctors are prescribing antipsychotic medicines for children with behavioral problems that are not defined as "psychosis," such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

18 Apr 2006

New guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson disease

New guidelines developed by the American Academy of Neurology aim to educate physicians on the diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson disease and provide people with Parkinson disease an improved quality of life.

3 Apr 2006

No evidence that early episodes of schizophrenia without medication result in long-term harm

A University of Southern California - USC review of published research has found no evidence that early episodes of schizophrenia without medication result in long-term harm for patients, casting doubt on the practice to immediately medicate for a year.

28 Mar 2006

No evidence that early episodes of schizophrenia without medication result in long-term harm

A USC review of published research has found no evidence that early episodes of schizophrenia without medication result in long-term harm for patients, casting doubt on the practice to immediately medicate for a year.

23 Mar 2006

Chickens, swans, cats and Disneyland - bird flu really gets around!

French trade unions have accused Disneyland in Paris of covering up the death of a swan in the midst of the escalating panic in Europe over bird flu.

9 Mar 2006

Tetrabenazine cuts down involuntary movements in Huntington's disease

The medication tetrabenazine cut down involuntary movement in patients with Huntington's disease on average by about 25 percent, with many patients experiencing a greater improvement, according to a study in the February 14 issue of the journal Neurology.

17 Feb 2006

Depression in the elderly is under-reported

New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene this week announced that depression in senior citizens is "a serious and under diagnosed condition."

27 Jan 2006