Journal of psychopharmacology
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Feb 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialRole of nitric oxide signaling in the antidepressant mechanism of action of ketamine: A randomized controlled trial.
Ketamine is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist with rapid antidepressant effects. Studies suggest that inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis plays a role in the mechanism of action of ketamine. ⋯ Our findings show no difference between the two conditions suggesting that the nitric oxide pathway may not play a primary role in ketamine's antidepressant or dissociative effects. The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03102736).
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · May 2020
Randomized Controlled TrialIncreased dopamine availability magnifies nicotine effects on cognitive control: A pilot study.
The ability to adapt to new task demands flexibly and to stabilise performance in the presence of distractors is termed cognitive control and is mediated by dopaminergic and cholinergic neurotransmission. We aimed to test the hypothesis that the effect of the cholinergic agonist nicotine on cognitive control depends on baseline dopamine levels. ⋯ Our data provide preliminary evidence that nicotine has opponent effects on cognitive stability and flexibility. Subjects who received the dopamine precursor L-tyrosine were more prone to nicotine effects on behaviours, which are improvements in cognitive flexibility at the cost of decreased cognitive stability.
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Jul 2019
Randomized Controlled TrialDissociable effects of cannabis with and without cannabidiol on the human brain's resting-state functional connectivity.
Two major constituents of cannabis are Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the main psychoactive component; CBD may buffer the user against the harmful effects of THC. ⋯ THC disrupts the DMN, and the PCC is a key brain region involved in the subjective experience of THC intoxication. CBD restores disruption of the salience network by THC, which may explain its potential to treat disorders of salience such as psychosis and addiction.
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Dec 2018
Randomized Controlled Trial Controlled Clinical TrialA randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to evaluate the human abuse liability of solriamfetol, a selective dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.
This study evaluated the human abuse potential of solriamfetol (formerly JZP-110), a selective dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with robust wake-promoting effects. ⋯ Solriamfetol appears to have abuse potential similar to or lower than phentermine.
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J. Psychopharmacol. (Oxford) · Sep 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialDoes a single session of electroconvulsive therapy alter the neural response to emotional faces in depression? A randomised sham-controlled functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
Negative neurocognitive bias is a core feature of major depressive disorder that is reversed by pharmacological and psychological treatments. This double-blind functional magnetic resonance imaging study investigated for the first time whether electroconvulsive therapy modulates negative neurocognitive bias in major depressive disorder. Patients with major depressive disorder were randomised to one active ( n=15) or sham electroconvulsive therapy ( n=12). ⋯ Exploratory cluster-corrected whole-brain analysis ( Z>2.3; p<0.01) revealed electroconvulsive therapy-induced changes in parahippocampal and superior frontal responses to fearful versus happy faces as well as in fear-specific functional connectivity between amygdala and occipito-temporal regions. Across all patients, greater fear-specific amygdala - occipital coupling correlated with lower fear vigilance. Despite no statistically significant shift in neural response to faces after a single electroconvulsive therapy session, the observed trend changes after a single electroconvulsive therapy session point to an early shift in emotional processing that may contribute to antidepressant effects of electroconvulsive therapy.