Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Jun 2011
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA comparative study of paliperidone palmitate and risperidone long-acting injectable therapy in schizophrenia.
This open-label, rater-blinded, parallel-group study was designed to evaluate noninferiority of paliperidone palmitate (PP), a once-monthly injectable atypical antipsychotic, to once-biweekly risperidone long-acting injectable (RIS-LAI) in adult Chinese patients with acute schizophrenia. Eligible Chinese adults (N=452) with schizophrenia were randomized (1:1) to either PP (N=229; deltoid injections on day 1 [150 mg eq.] and day 8 [100 mg eq.]; then once-monthly deltoid or gluteal injections, flexibly dosed [50, 100, or 150 mg eq.]), or RIS-LAI (N=223; once-biweekly gluteal injections, flexibly dosed [25, 37.5 or 50 mg]). RIS-LAI-treated patients received oral risperidone supplementation (1-6 mg/day) at initiation and with RIS-LAI dose increases. ⋯ The most common TEAEs were akathisia, tremor, and insomnia. The study demonstrated the noninferiority of PP (50-150 mg eq., flexibly dosed, without oral paliperidone supplementation) to risperidone-LAI (25-50 mg, flexibly dosed, with oral risperidone supplementation) for the treatment of acute schizophrenia in adult Chinese patients. PP injections were generally tolerable, and no new safety signals were detected in this population.
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Jun 2011
Curcumin enhances neuronal survival in N-methyl-d-aspartic acid toxicity by inducing RANTES expression in astrocytes via PI-3K and MAPK signaling pathways.
Neuroinflammation, which is characterized by the overproduction of cytokines and chemokines, plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases, especially in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the brain, chemokines are predominantly released by astrocytes and microglias. Expression of RANTES, as well as other cytokines, is involved in the inflammatory cascade that contributes to neurodegeneration in AD. Expression of RANTES may also have a neuroprotective effect. We sought to investigate whether curcumin exhibited neuroprotective and antioxidant activity via enhanced RANTES expression by astrocytes in cortical neuron cultures. We evaluated the neuroprotective and anti-neurodegenerative effects of curcumin in NMDA toxicity and in long-term cultures. ⋯ We postulate that the enhanced neuronal survival by curcumin treatment in NMDA toxicity and long-term cultures was in part attributable to elevated astrocyte-derived RANTES expression via activation of PI3K/MAPK signaling pathways.
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Jun 2011
Review Meta AnalysisStructural and functional neuroimaging studies of the suicidal brain.
Suicidality is a major challenge for today's health care. Evidence suggests that there are differences in cognitive functioning of suicidal patients but the knowledge about the underlying neurobiology is limited. Brain imaging offers the advantage of a non-invasive in vivo direct estimation of detailed brain structure, regional brain functioning and estimation of molecular processes in the brain. ⋯ We did not find studies measuring the binding potential of the noradrenalin or gamma amino butyric acid transporter or receptor in suicidal subjects. Several reports have suggested abnormalities of GABA neurotransmission in depression. During our literature search, we have focused on neuroimaging studies in suicidal populations, but in the absence of evidence in the literature on this group or when further collateral evidence is appropriate, this overview expands to results in impulsive aggressive or in depressed subjects.
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Jun 2011
ReviewMelatonin agonists in primary insomnia and depression-associated insomnia: are they superior to sedative-hypnotics?
Current pharmacological treatment of insomnia involves the use of sedative-hypnotic benzodiazepine and non-benzodiazepine drugs. Although benzodiazepines improve sleep, their multiple adverse effects hamper their application. Adverse effects include impairment of memory and cognitive functions, next-day hangover and dependence. ⋯ The novel antidepressant agomelatine, a dual action agent with affinity for melatonin MT1 and MT2 receptors and 5-HT2c antagonistic properties, constitutes a new approach to the treatment of major depressive disorders. Agomelatine ameliorates the symptoms of depression and improves the quality and efficiency of sleep. Taken together, the evidence indicates that MT1/MT2 receptor agonists like ramelteon or agomelatine may be valuable pharmacological tools for insomnia and for depression-associated insomnia.
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Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry · Jun 2011
ReviewThe WAG/Rij strain: a genetic animal model of absence epilepsy with comorbidity of depression [corrected].
A great number of clinical observations show a relationship between epilepsy and depression. Idiopathic generalized epilepsy, including absence epilepsy, has a genetic basis. The review provides evidence that WAG/Rij rats can be regarded as a valid genetic animal model of absence epilepsy with comorbidity of depression. ⋯ Whether the neurochemical changes are primary to depression-like behavioral alterations remains to be determined. In conclusion, the WAG/Rij rats can be considered as a genetic animal model for absence epilepsy with comorbidity of dysthymia. This model can be used to investigate etiology, pathogenic mechanisms and treatment of a psychiatric comorbidity, such as depression in absence epilepsy, to reveal putative genes contributing to comorbid depressive disorder, and to screen novel psychotropic drugs with a selective and/or complex (dual) action on both pathologies.