Brown University Psychopharmacology Update articles from June 2006

Brown University Psychopharmacology Update archives from June 2006

Nalmefene may be a potential treatment option for pathological gambling.(New Research on Addiction)
June 1, 2006... precis * An investigational drug, nalmefene in tablet form, may help reduce symptoms of pathological gambling in adults * 16-week, randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled trial investigating varying doses of nalmefene in 207...

Trial tests maintenance paroxetine and psychotherapy in elderly patients.(Depression as Chronic Illness)
June 1, 2006... precis * Major depression often recurs in older patients * Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial tested 2 years of maintenance paroxetine and psychotherapy * Paroxetine plus psychotherapy prevented recurrence;...

Polypsychopharmacy: evaluating prevalence and concerns.(Drug-Drug Interactions)
June 1, 2006... Polypsychopharmacy, or the concurrent use of two or more psychotropic drugs in the same patient, is a common practice in the management of patients with psychiatric disorders. In general, polypharmacy increases the likelihood of drug...

Mood polarity in bipolar depression with venlafaxine, sertraline and bupropion.(What's New in Research)
June 1, 2006... precis * Adjunctive treatment with antidepressants for bipolar depression associated with substantial risk of threshold switches. * Investigators examine differences among treatment with venlafaxine, sertraline and bupropion. *...

Prophylactic adjunctive gabapentin for bipolar disorder.
June 1, 2006... precis * Year-long placebo-controlled pilot study assessing prophylactic efficacy of adjunctive gabapentin for the long-term treatment of bipolar disorder. * Twenty-five patients, ages 18-75 years with bipolar I or II disorder, were...

Pharm companies to collaborate with FDA.(News Notes)
June 1, 2006... As part of its "critical path" initiative, the FDA has inked an agreement with eight major pharmaceutical companies, including Bristol-Meyers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche Palo Alto, and Schering...

Doctors request more manageable drug information.(News Notes)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Last year the FDA issued 112 safety alerts for drugs, up from just 33 in 2003. The increase reflects the agency's response to accusations that it was not up-front with safety data for drugs like the antidepressant Paxil. According to Dr....

Brain development differs in highly intelligent children.(News Notes)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In an effort to understand what goes wrong in the brains of children with schizophrenia or attention deficits, investigators with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) set out to map the brain's "normal" development. In the process,...

Psychosis related to ropinirole.(Case Report)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Patient: Female, 44 y/o Medications: ropinirole (Requip), quetiapine (Seroquel), citalopram (Celexa) Comment: A 44-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with acute psychotic symptoms, including paranoid delusions, disorganized...

Not approved: modafinil for ADHD.(From the FDA)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... An advisory committee counseled the FDA against approving modafinil (Sparlon) as a treatment for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The committee suggested that maker Cephalon, Inc. conduct further research into...

Approval: naltrexone injectable suspension (Vivitrol).(From the FDA)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... On April 14 the FDA approved naltrexone injectable suspension for extended release (Vivitrol) the first injectable medication for treating alcohol dependence. Vivitrol is an opioid antagonist indicated for outpatients who can abstain from...

Bupropion, bupropion sustained release, bupropion extended release (generic): Wellbutrin, Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL, Zyban (brand).(YOUR MEDICATION INFORMATION)
June 1, 2006... CLASSIFICATION: Dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor antidepressant. COMMON USAGE: Bupropion is indicated for the treatment of major depressive disorder and for tobacco smoking cessation in adults. The safety and effectiveness...