Effectiveness and Quality of Life with Paliperidone Palmitate 3-Monthly in Comparison with Other Long-Acting Drugs.

Purpose: Antipsychotic long-acting injections (AP-LAIs) are indicated for patients affected by schizophrenia especially those with poor treatment adherence.

Patients And Methods: To compare paliperidone palmitate 3-monthly (PP3M), paliperidone palmitate one-monthly (PP1M) and haloperidol decanoate (HAL-D) treatment, we enrolled 90 patients with schizophrenia treated in Mental Health Center with one of the three AP-LAIs for at least six months and followed them for another 6 months. At 6 and 12 months of treatment we administered Clinical Global Impression-Severity, Global Assessment of Functioning and World Health Organization Quality of Life-26 items (WHOQOL-BREF).

Users' choice and change of allocated primary mental health professional in community-based mental health services: A scoping review.

Background: The recovery model in mental health care emphasizes users' right to be involved in key decisions of their care, including choice of one's primary mental health professional (PMHP).

Aims: The aim of this article was to provide a scoping review of the literature on the topic of users' choice, request of change and preferences for the PMHP in community mental health services.

Method: A search of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and PsycINFO for papers in English was performed.

Electrocardiogram Alterations Associated With Psychotropic Drug Use and CACNA1C Gene Variants in Three Independent Samples.

Several antipsychotics and antidepressants have been associated with QTc prolongation or other electrocardiogram (ECG) alterations, but their impact is still debated and other risk factors are known to affect QTc. We investigated the effect of antidepressants and antipsychotics on QTc and other ECG intervals/waves in three samples. Two discovery samples (cross-sectional sample n = 145 and prospective sample n = 68, naturalistic treatment) and a replication prospective sample (Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness, n = 515, randomized treatment) were analysed.

N-acetylcysteine in the treatment of psychiatric disorders: current status and future prospects.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is widely known for its role as a mucolytic and as an antidote to paracetamol overdose. There is increasing interest in the use of NAC in the treatment of several psychiatric disorders. The rationale for the administration of NAC in psychiatric conditions is based on its role as a precursor to the antioxidant glutathione, and its action as a modulating agent of glutamatergic, dopaminergic, neurotropic and inflammatory pathways.

Understanding the pharmacogenetics of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Introduction: The genetic background of antidepressant response represents a unique opportunity to identify biological markers of treatment outcome. Encouraging results alternating with inconsistent findings made antidepressant pharmacogenetics a stimulating but often discouraging field that requires careful discussion about cumulative evidence and methodological issues.

Areas Covered: The present review discusses both known and less replicated genes that have been implicated in selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) efficacy and side effects.