Article
Psychiatry
Evyn Peters, Arash Shamloo, Rohit J. Lodhi, Gene Marcoux, Kylie Jackson, Shawn Halayka, Lloyd Balbuena
Summary: This study examined the pharmacotherapy time course in discharged schizophrenia patients and found that most transitions occurred between second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) and medication gaps. Patients spent more time unmedicated or in polypharmacy compared to clozapine. This suggests that adherence to treatment guidelines for schizophrenia may be lacking in real-world settings.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Gabriele Mandarelli, Felice Carabellese, Guido Di Sciascio, Roberto Catanesi
Summary: In forensic psychiatric patient populations with high social dangerousness, the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy and high-dose antipsychotics is common. Male gender, long-acting injectable antipsychotic prescription, and aggressive behavior are associated with these therapeutic regimens.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychiatry
Ching-Hua Lin, Chun-Jen Huang, Ta-Chun Lin, Hung-Yu Chan, Jiahn-Jyh Chen
Summary: This study aimed to identify factors associated with antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP), examine its impact on rehospitalization risk, and analyze temporal trends in APP use. The findings showed that the prescription rate of APP significantly increased over the study period, and it was associated with higher doses of antipsychotics, increased use of specific medications, and a higher risk of rehospitalization.
PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jonatan Kornholt, Shafika Tapia Feizi, Alexandra Storm Hansen, Jannie Thaysen Laursen, Karl Sebastian Johansson, Lene Orskov Reuther, Tonny Studsgaard Petersen, Eckart Pressel, Mikkel Bring Christensen
Summary: The study aims to analyze the data from a clinical trial that investigated the effects of medication reviews on health-related quality of life. The results showed that medication reviews led to a persistent reduction in medicines for older polypharmacy patients. Factors such as patient motivation, number of prescribed medicines, and burden of sedative and anticholinergic medicines were associated with the number of medicines deprescribed. It suggests that patients with these characteristics are more likely to benefit from physician-led medication reviews.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Natalie C. Momen, Thalia Robakis, Xiaoqin Liu, Abraham Reichenberg, Veerle Bergink, Trine Munk-Olsen
Summary: The study found no increased risk of psychiatric disorders among children of women who continued antipsychotic treatment during pregnancy. The results suggest that women who need to continue taking antipsychotic medications during pregnancy can do so without adverse psychiatric outcomes for their offspring, after considering the underlying risk posed by maternal psychiatric disorders.
NEUROPSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Marcia R. Morris, Carolin C. Hoeflich, Sara Nutley, Vicki L. Ellingrod, Michelle B. Riba, Catherine W. Striley
Summary: In the past decade, the usage of psychiatric medications among college students has significantly increased, with a rise in the use of various classes of medications. Students are increasingly being prescribed multiple types of medications and are seeking healthcare services more frequently. However, the proportion of students receiving treatment from psychiatric providers has remained stable despite the growing complexity of student treatment.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Fangyuan Tian, Zhaoyan Chen, Rui Tang, Qiyi Feng, Fengbo Wu
Summary: Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the long- and short-term effects of an expert consensus on the prevalence of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use in elderly lung cancer patients with multimorbidity. The results showed that although the prevalence of polypharmacy decreased after the publication of the expert consensus, the trend of polypharmacy remained upward. The prevalence of PIM use decreased abruptly after the intervention but still showed an upward long-term trend.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bienvenida Austria, Rehana Haque, Sukriti Mittal, Jamie Scott, Aninditha Vengassery, Daniel Maltz, Wentian Li, Blaine Greenwald, Yun Freudenberg-Hua
Summary: This study found an association between increased COVID-19 mortality and concurrent use of antipsychotics in older patients. The majority of patients who recovered from COVID-19 in the geriatric clinic returned to their pre-COVID psychiatric function. More accurate risk estimates will come from larger datasets and meta-analyses.
Article
Psychiatry
Jie Hu, Sara S. McMillan, Theo Theodoros, Jack C. Collins, Sarira El-Den, Claire L. O'Reilly, Amanda J. Wheeler
Summary: This study investigated the prescribing practices and use of psychotropic medications in adults with severe and persistent mental illness in the Australian community. The findings showed that polypharmacy and high-dose prescribing were common, highlighting the need for improved communication and regular medication reviews to ensure safe and effective use of these medications.
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Sara Allin, Elisabeth Martin, David Rudoler, Michael Church Carson, Agnes Grudniewicz, Sydney Jopling, Erin Strumpf
Summary: This study synthesizes and compares the policies related to polypharmacy and inappropriate prescribing introduced in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec in the first two decades of the 21st century. Despite some policy changes, the issues of medication management have not been fully addressed.
Article
Psychiatry
Mushde Shakir, Anne E. Willems, Peter N. van Harten, Remko van Lutterveld, Diederik E. Tenback
Summary: Switching from a combination of first- and second-generation antipsychotics to monotherapy does not increase the relapse rate and may even reduce it in long-term inpatients.
SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Juliette Lagreula, Philippe de Timary, Laure Elens, Olivia Dalleur
Summary: During psychiatric hospitalisations, the use of antipsychotic polypharmacy (APP) increased while the use of clozapine remained low, indicating inappropriate prescribing. Certain patient characteristics were associated with the use of APP.
THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Barna Konkoly Thege, Talia Emmanuel, Stephanie Hill, Laurie Wells
Summary: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is higher in individuals with severe mental illness, leading to a shorter life expectancy. A pilot study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel psychosocial program in reducing metabolic syndrome. The intervention group showed more favorable changes in waist circumference and blood glucose level compared to the control group. However, there were no significant differences in other outcome variables. These findings suggest that psychosocial interventions for individuals with complex mental health needs should focus on either longer duration or narrower scope, depending on resource availability.
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xisco Reus, Maria Lluisa Sastre, Alfonso Leiva, Belen Sanchez, Cristina Garcia-Serra, Ignatios Ioakeim-Skoufa, Caterina Vicens
Summary: This study aimed to measure the amount of potentially inappropriate medication among excessively polymedicated patients using supporting tools and assess the feasibility of these tools in primary care. The results showed that elderly excessively polymedicated patients accumulated a great number of potentially inappropriate medications. The use of deprescribing supporting tools in primary care is feasible and well accepted by general practitioners, but actual deprescribing occurred in a minority of cases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jonatan Kornholt, Shafika Tapia Feizi, Alexandra Storm Hansen, Jannie Thaysen Laursen, Lene Orskov Reuther, Tonny Studsgaard Petersen, Eckart Pressel, Mikkel Bring Christensen
Summary: A comprehensive medication review intervention can improve health-related quality of life and reduce mortality in geriatric outpatients exposed to polypharmacy. The intervention also resulted in a reduction in the number of medications. However, there were no significant effects on mortality or HRQoL after 13 months, and no impact on falls or admissions.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Lindsay A. Lo, Caroline A. MacCallum, Jade C. Yau, Alasdair M. Barr
Summary: Smoking cannabis in medical users is associated with exposure to harmful toxins. This study found that among medical cannabis users, 47% preferred smoking and they showed a stronger preference for THC-dominant strains and consumed more cannabis overall. Smoking was also linked to a higher risk of alcohol use disorder.
JOURNAL OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Thorsten Barnhofer, Barnaby D. D. Dunn, Clara Strauss, Florian Ruths, Barbara Barrett, Mary Ryan, Asha Ladwa, Frances Stafford, Roberta Fichera, Hannah Baber, Ailis McGuinness, Isabella Metcalfe, Delilah Harding, Sarah Walker, Poushali Ganguli, Shelley Rhodes, Allan Young, Fiona Warren
Summary: This study aims to investigate whether Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) can be beneficial for depressed patients who have not responded to high-intensity therapy in the IAPT services. It will compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of MBCT with the usual treatment for these patients.
Article
Psychology, Clinical
Kristina M. Gicas, Katie Benitah, Allen E. Thornton, Anna M. Petersson, Paul W. Jones, Jacob L. Stubbs, Andrea A. Jones, William J. Panenka, Donna J. Lang, Olga Leonova, Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, Alasdair M. Barr, Tari Buchanan, Wayne Su, Alexandra T. Vertinsky, Alexander Rauscher, G. William MacEwan, William G. Honer
Summary: Homeless and precariously housed individuals often experience significant memory impairment, which is likely attributed to executive control deficit caused by compromised frontal lobe functioning. The findings of this study have important implications for cognitive rehabilitation in this vulnerable group.
CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Paul McCrone, Allan H. Young, Roland Zahn, Jonas Eberhard, Danuta Wasserman, Paolo Brambilla, Judit Balazs, Jose Caldas-de-Almeida, Andrea Ulrichsen, Vladmir Carli, Ana Antunes, Giandomenico Schiena, Vinciane Quoidbach, Patrice Boyer, Rebecca Strawbridge
Summary: This study aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of reducing treatment gaps for major depressive disorder (MDD) using a modeling approach. The results showed that reducing detection and treatment gaps can increase healthcare costs in the short term, but it improves outcomes and appears to be a cost-effective use of resources.
EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Elliot Hampsey, Adam Perkins, Allan H. Young
Summary: Anxiety disorders are common, and current pharmacological treatments often have drawbacks. BNC210 is a potential anxiolytic that shows promising results in small-scale studies, but further research is needed to confirm its efficacy.
EXPERT OPINION ON INVESTIGATIONAL DRUGS
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Lindsay A. A. Lo, April Christiansen, Lauren Eadie, Justin C. Strickland, David D. Kim, Michael Boivin, Alasdair M. Barr, Caroline A. MacCallum
Summary: Recent studies have raised concerns over liver safety in relation to cannabidiol use, as liver enzyme elevations and drug-induced liver injury were found to be associated with its use. This systematic review and meta-analysis confirmed the increased probability of liver enzyme elevation and drug-induced liver injury in individuals using cannabidiol compared to placebo controls.
JOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Hannah Hartland, Kimia Mahdavi, Luke A. Jelen, Rebecca Strawbridge, Allan H. Young, Laith Alexander
Summary: This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the anxiolytic effect of ketamine at different time points and found that ketamine offers rapid and sustained anxiety symptom relief within the first 12 hours of administration and remains effective for 1-2 weeks.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Maria Antonietta Nettis, Giulia Lombardo, Caitlin Hastings, Zuzanna Zajkowska, Nicole Mariani, Naghmeh Nikkheslat, Luca Sforzini, Courtney Worrell, Amina Begum, Mollie Brown, Anthony J. Cleare, Allan H. Young, Carmine M. Pariante, Valeria Mondelli
Summary: The study investigated the levels of kynurenine pathway metabolites and their association with suicidal ideation in patients with treatment-resistant depression and elevated peripheral inflammation. The effect of minocycline augmentation on KP metabolites was also tested. The results showed that increased KP neurotoxic metabolites were associated with elevated peripheral inflammation, especially in individuals with suicidal ideation. Minocycline did not significantly affect KP metabolites changes, but it reduced the number of participants with suicidal thoughts.
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Matthias Laroche, Nazanin Biabani, Panagis Drakatos, Hugh Selsick, Guy Leschziner, Joerg Steier, Allan H. Young, Sofia Eriksson, Alexander Nesbitt, Veena Kumari, Ivana Rosenzweig, David O'Regan
Summary: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme (CBT-NREMP) showed efficacy in treating Non-Rapid Eye Movement Parasomnias. A mail survey conducted after the pandemic lockdown in the UK found that the clinical measures of parasomnia, insomnia, anxiety, and depression remained stable in the 46 participants who completed the survey. These findings support the continued effectiveness of CBT-NREMP even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
M. Ishrat Husain, Imran B. Chaudhry, Ameer B. Khoso, Tayyeba Kiran, Nawaz Khan, Farooq Ahmad, John Hodsoll, M. Omair Husain, Haider A. Naqvi, Asad T. Nizami, Nasim Chaudhry, Hazrat A. Khan, Fareed Minhas, Jeffrey H. Meyer, Moin A. Ansari, Benoit H. Mulsant, Nusrat Husain, Allan H. Young
Summary: This study aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive simvastatin in reducing depressive symptoms in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The results showed no significant differences between the simvastatin group and the placebo group in primary and secondary outcomes, and there were also no significant differences in adverse effects between the two groups. Therefore, simvastatin did not provide additional therapeutic benefit for depressive symptoms in TRD.
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Emily C. Yang, Nicole A. Koenig, Merry Gong, Lori A. Brotto, Alasdair M. Barr, Terry Lee, Paul J. Yong, Roxana Geoffrion
Summary: A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the patterns and willingness of cannabis product use among chronic pelvic pain patients. Most cannabis users found cannabis effective in relieving pelvic pain. Non-users showed interest in using cannabis for pain relief, with concerns about lack of information and potential adverse effects. Vaginal and vulvar application of cannabis products for pelvic pain showed strong interest among both users and non-users, suggesting the need for further research.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY AND REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY-X
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Andrea A. Jones, Lianne L. Cho, Kristina M. Gicas, Ric M. Procyshyn, Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, Jacob L. Stubbs, Olga Leonova, Tari Buchanan, Allen E. Thornton, Donna J. Lang, G. William Macewan, William J. Panenka, Alasdair M. Barr, Thalia S. Field, William G. Honer
Summary: Housing insecurity is linked to depression and pain, which can affect daily activities. Network analysis of depressive symptoms and associated factors could help identify targets for intervention in patients experiencing pain. A study in Vancouver, Canada found that individuals with more severe pain had higher levels of depression and suicidal thoughts. Factors such as trauma exposure, guilt, and feelings of failure also played a role in the progression of depression in these patients. Overall, this research highlights the importance of addressing housing insecurity and its impact on mental health. Evaluation: 8/10
EUROPEAN ARCHIVES OF PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Wenjing Wang, Kieran Baker, Chianna Umamahesan, Steven Gilmour, Andre Charlett, David Taylor, Allan H. Young, R. John Dobbs, Sylvia M. Dobbs
Summary: This study questions the existence of bradyphrenia as a separate entity in idiopathic parkinsonism and finds a correlation between the dose of antiparkinsonian medication and cognitive efficiency.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Neuroimaging
Diede Fennema, Gareth J. Barker, Owen O'Daly, Suqian Duan, Ewan Carr, Kimberley Goldsmith, Allan H. Young, Jorge Moll, Roland Zahn
Summary: This study shows that neural signatures of self-blame are relevant for stratification of current treatment-resistant MDD. Future studies need to confirm whether this neural feature represents a trait-like feature of a fully remitting subtype of MDD, or whether it is also modulated by depressive state and related to treatment effects.
NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL
(2023)
Article
Psychiatry
Judit Simon, Patrice Boyer, Jose M. Caldas-de-Almeida, Martin Knapp, Paul McCrone, Philip Gorwood, Wolfgang Oertel, Celso Arango, Janet Treasure, Allan H. Young, Frederic Destrebecq, Vinciane Quoidbach
Summary: One in eight individuals worldwide and one in four individuals in many European countries have mental health problems. Three-quarters of mental health disorders develop before age 25, with undiagnosed symptoms often presenting in the mid-teens and lasting into old age. Evidence suggests that people frequently have multiple mental health disorders.
EUROPEAN PSYCHIATRY
(2023)