Recent findings in psychiatry described by researchers from School of Medicine.

Researchers detail in 'The evolution of hyperprolactinaemia as an entity in psychiatric patients,' new data in psychiatry. "This paper explores chronologically the evolution of raised prolactin levels as an entity in psychiatric patients. Menstrual problems were described in patients with schizophrenia prior to the introduction of antipsychotic medication, but galactorrhoea and gynaecomastia were not commonly seen until the advent of antipsychotics," researchers in Preston, the United Kingdom report (see also Psychiatry).

"Following the introduction of antipsychotic medication single case reports of patients with galactorrhoea and gynaecomastia appeared. These were followed by a collection of case reports and the process reached today's data of laboratory defined rates of prolactin and sexual side effects. The paper also reviews the emerging research linking hyperprolactinaemia with increased risk of osteoporosis and possibly breast cancer," wrote D. Kohen and colleagues, School of Medicine.

The researchers concluded: "An overarching thread which runs throughout these publications, is the paucity of clinical research, which has only ...