Therapeutic drug monitoring of atomoxetine in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: a naturalistic study.

The selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine is potentially among the first-line pharmacotherapy options for ADHD. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) with the quantification and interpretation of atomoxetine serum concentrations is used to determine an individual dose followed by an optimal effectiveness and minimal side effects. The aim of this retrospective pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic analysis was to derive age-appropriate recommendations for the implementation of TDM to improve the efficacy and tolerability of atomoxetine in children and adolescents.

Randomized clinical trial shows no substantial modulation of empathy-related neural activation by intranasal oxytocin in autism.

Evidence suggests that intranasal application of oxytocin facilitates empathy and modulates its underlying neural processes, which are often impaired in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Oxytocin has therefore been considered a promising candidate for the treatment of social difficulties in ASD. However, evidence linking oxytocin treatment to social behavior and brain function in ASD is limited and heterogeneous effects might depend on variations in the oxytocin-receptor gene (OXTR).

Time to Initiation of Clozapine Treatment in Children and Adolescents with Early-Onset Schizophrenia.

Early-onset schizophrenia (EOS) has a poor prognosis and is difficult to treat, which often leads to the initiation of clozapine treatment. Studies in adults have shown that the initiation of clozapine treatment is often delayed. There is a lack of studies concerning the initiation of clozapine in children and adolescents with EOS.

Altered peripheral BDNF mRNA expression and BDNF protein concentrations in blood of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

Findings from molecular genetic studies and analyses of postmortem and peripheral tissue led to the hypothesis that neurotrophins-as crucial moderators of neuroplasticity-impact on the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study projects aimed to complement former results on the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family with fundamental impact on brain development and function. The purpose of this work was to investigate peripheral BDNF mRNA expression and BDNF protein concentrations in ASD as potential surrogates for the effects observed in the central nervous system.