Factors in second-generation antipsychotic switching patterns in a national sample of older veterans with schizophrenia.

Objective: A 2004 consensus statement by the American Psychiatric Association and other groups noted that metabolic side effects of second-generation antipsychotics require monitoring. To reduce risk, prescribers may consider factors differentially associated with development of metabolic abnormalities, such as age, gender, and race-ethnicity. As part of a study of older patients with schizophrenia (50-102 years), this study evaluated factors associated with antipsychotic switches and switches that incurred a greater or lesser metabolic risk.

A schizophrenia gene locus on chromosome 17q21 in a new set of families of Mexican and central american ancestry: evidence from the NIMH Genetics of schizophrenia in latino populations study.

Objective: The present study investigated a new set of families of Latin American ancestry in order to detect the location of genes predisposing to schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.

Method: A genome-wide scan was performed for 175 newly recruited families with at least two siblings suffering from a psychotic disorder. Best-estimate consensus procedures were used to arrive at diagnoses, and nonparametric allele-sharing statistics were calculated to detect linkage.