The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update articles from August 2006

The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update archives from August 2006

Weighing the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for childhood depression.(Depression)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2006... precis * Omega-3 fatty acids may be beneficial in treating symptoms of depression in pre-adolescents * 16-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of 28 children (ages 6 to 12 years) * Findings are limited by the small...

Recommendations to minimize endocrine and metabolic adverse effects.(Adverse Events)
August 1, 2006... precis * Selective review of endocrine and metabolic effects of psychotropic medications in child and adolescent populations. * While more data specific to children must be collected, evidence of higher risk for antipsychotic-induced...

Citalopram studied for adolescent MDD.(What's New in Research)(major depressive disorder)(Clinical report)
August 1, 2006... precis * In 12-week trial of adolescents, citalopram appears no more efficacious than placebo for treating MDD * Proportion of responders over 60% in both groups * Majority of patients receiving psychotherapy during trial; may...

Internalizing behaviors in 4-year-old children exposed in utero to psychotropics.(What's New In Research)
August 1, 2006... precis * Prospective analyses find little variation in internalizing behaviors between 4-year-olds with and without in-utero exposure to an SSRI * Increased parental reports of child internalizing behaviors linked to maternal...

RBD linked to antidepressants in youth.(News Notes)(rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... In the first systematic study of this association, a Mayo Clinic study lends support to the theory that the onset of REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) at a younger age could be linked with antidepressant use. Patients with RBD act out their...

Antipsychotic treatment of youth climbs.(News Notes)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A recent report by Mark Olfson, M.D., M.P.H. and colleagues examines the national trends between 1993 and 2002 in antipsychotic treatment of youth (under 20 years) seen in office-based medical practices. The research found there has been a...

CDC reports on stimulant overdoses.(News Notes)(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that in 2004, over 3,000 children visited the emergency room for complications after taking a stimulant drug to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),...

Hypohidrosis during topiramate treatment.(Case Report)
August 1, 2006... Patient: 4-year-old female Medications: topiramate (Topamax) A 4-year-old female was referred for repeated episodes of diurnal staring and reduction of consciousness. Her history included a nocturnal episode at age 3 when she...

Bupropion HCL for seasonal affective disorder.(From the FDA)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on June 12 that it approved the first drug for the prevention of major depressive episodes in patients with a history of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Bupropion HCL extended release...

FDA issues final guidance against unapproved drugs.(From the FDA)(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... On June 8, the FDA announced a strengthening of its efforts against unapproved drug products, an estimated 2% of prescribed drugs. A new final guidance document, "Marketed Unapproved Drugs--Compliance Policy Guide," begins by addressing...