Is there a therapeutic potential in combining bupropion and naltrexone in schizophrenia?

Introduction: A sustained-release tablet composed of a combination of the dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor bupropion (BUP) and the µ-opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone (NAT) is marketed under the brand name Contrave by Orexigen Therapeutics for appetite control. Minimal literature is available regarding the use of combination bupropion and naltrexone (BUPNAT) in individuals with schizophrenia.

Areas Covered: In this review, we propose a theoretical model where BUPNAT may have a therapeutic effect in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Novel biomarker signatures for idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder: A proteomic and system biology approach.

Objective: To perform a rigorous in-depth proteomics analysis to identify circulating biomarker signatures for idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), capable of providing new insights into the underlying pathogenic mechanisms and putative α-synuclein-related neurodegenerative processes.

Methods: Serum samples from patients with idiopathic RBD (n = 9) and healthy controls (n = 10) were subjected to a thorough liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (MS)/MS proteomics analysis using ultimate 3,000 nanoLC interfaced to an ESI-orbitrap velos Data were analyzed with a systems biology approach to identify altered pathways in RBD.

Results: We identified 259 proteins, 11 of which displayed significantly altered expression level in patients with RBD as compared to controls.

Risk of obstructive sleep apnea and excessive daytime sleepiness in hospitalized psychiatric patients.

Objectives: This study evaluated the risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in hospitalized psychiatric patients at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUB-MC). Factors associated with OSA and EDS occurrence in this sample were also examined.

Methods: The Berlin questionnaire and the Epworth sleepiness scale; which respectively evaluate OSA and EDS symptoms, were administered to individuals hospitalized at an acute psychiatric treatment unit at the AUB-MC between the dates of January 2014 and October 2016.

A probable case of peduncular hallucinosis secondary to a cerebral peduncular lesion successfully treated with an atypical antipsychotic.

Peduncular hallucinosis is a rare phenomenon that has been reported in case reports and case series. The exact pathophysiology is unclear, but is postulated to involve disruption and dysregulation of the visual neuronal pathways in the brain. A case of complex visual hallucinations in an elderly man with no previous history of psychosis is discussed.

Narcolepsy presenting as schizophrenia: a literature review and two case reports.

Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder that causes significant disability and morbidity. Narcolepsy is a disorder, less prevalent than schizophrenia, but a disorder in which symptoms overlap with schizophrenia. This overlap in symptoms can cause narcolepsy to be confused with schizophrenia.