The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update articles from April 2008

The Brown University Geriatric Psychopharmacology Update archives from April 2008

Substance abuse and the aging brain: screening, diagnoses and treatment.(Special Report)
April 1, 2008... precis * Recognizing drug abuse in the elderly may be challenging as the symptoms can often be mistaken as a function of normal aging or underlying medical conditions; validated screening instruments for substance abuse are relatively...

Study shows lithium should be explored as modification therapy for Alzheimer's.(Alzheimer's Disease)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... precis * An open-label study to assess the safety and feasibility of long-term prescribing of lithium for treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) enrolled 22 people and a control group * Fourteen participants discontinued after a mean of...

Galantamine and QT prolongation.(Adverse Events)
April 1, 2008... Galantamine (Reminyl) is an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The inhibition leads to increased availability of acetylcholine, resulting in improvement of cognitive function in patients with...

Paliperidone extended release in elderly schizophrenia patients.(What's New in Research)(Clinical report)
April 1, 2008... precis * A 6-week double-blind, clinical trial with a 24-week open-label extension found that treatment with paliperidone ER in schizophrenia patients (mean age 70 years) was generally well tolerated, and may improve schizophrenic symptoms...

Greater risk of pneumonia associated with antipsychotic use in the elderly.(What's New in Research)
April 1, 2008... precis Elderly patients may have a significantly higher risk of developing pneumonia while taking antipsychotic medications, according to a large-scale case-control study; the risk was highest during the first week after starting an...

Experimental helmet with infra-red radiation for AD treatment.(News Notes)
April 1, 2008... Researchers in the United Kingdom have developed an experimental helmet that is being tested as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The device, which has already been tested in mice, will be tested this summer in humans. The helmet can...

Tolerability of switching from donepezil to memantine.(News Notes)
April 1, 2008... Switching from donepezil to memantine, either abruptly or in a stepwise discontinuation phase, appears to be safe and well tolerated in patients with moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). In an 8-week, double-blind clinical trial, 46 AD...

Oxcarbazepine for treatment-resistant mania in type I diabetes.(Case Report)
April 1, 2008... Patient: Female, 55 years old Medications: Insulin (Novolente), very-rapid-acting insulin analogue (Lispro), gabapentin (Neurontin), lorazepam (Ativan), quetiapine (Seroquel), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) Case: The patient had a history...

Risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior with antiepileptics.(From the FDA)
April 1, 2008... Healthcare professionals have been warned of the increased risk of suicidal ideation and behavior, following an FDA analysis of placebo-controlled studies of 11 drugs used to treat epilepsy. All patients taking these drugs should be notified of...

Naltrexone (generic) ReVia (brand).(YOUR MEDICATION INFORMATION)
April 1, 2008... CLASSIFICATION: Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist. COMMON USAGE: Naltrexone is indicated for the treatment of alcohol dependence and narcotic addiction in adults. Naltrexone can be most effective when used as part of a...