Feasibility and Effect of Increasing Clozapine Plasma Levels in Long-Stay Patients With Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia.

Background: It is unknown whether increasing the clozapine plasma level to 400, 750, or even 1000 ng/mL is a feasible and effective strategy in patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). We investigated this in long-stay patients with TRS.

Methods: In long-stay TRS patients, doses of clozapine were increased gradually to reach target plasma levels of 400, 750, or 1000 ng/mL, depending on the clinical response and tolerability.

Symptom networks in patients with substance use disorders.

Background: Reciprocity between symptoms of psychiatric disorders is increasingly recognized to contribute to their chronicity. In substance use disorders (SUD) little is known on reciprocal interactions between symptoms. We applied network analyses to study these interactions.

Appraisal-based cognitive bias modification in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomised clinical trial.

: Negative appraisals of the trauma and its sequelae play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Experimental studies have shown promise in reducing negative appraisal through Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) training. : To determine whether an online CBM training designed to modify dysfunctional appraisals is successful in reducing appraisal bias in PTSD patients.

Dose reduction of high-dose first-generation antipsychotics or switch to ziprasidone in long-stay patients with schizophrenia: A 1-year double-blind randomized clinical trial.

Long-stay patients with severe schizophrenia are frequently treated with high doses of first-generation antipsychotics (FGA). Dose reduction or switching to ziprasidone may reduce the severity of negative symptoms and side effects. We investigated in a randomized double-blind trial whether a dose-reduction strategy to achieve an adequate dose of a FGA (5 mg/day haloperidol equivalents, n = 24) or switching to ziprasidone (160 mg/day, n = 24) in treatment resistant patients would decrease negative symptoms after 1 year of treatment.

Intensive prolonged exposure therapy for chronic PTSD patients following multiple trauma and multiple treatment attempts.

: Suboptimal response and high dropout rates leave room for improvement of trauma-focused treatment (TFT) effectiveness in ameliorating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. : To explore the effectiveness and safety of intensive prolonged exposure (iPE) targeting chronic PTSD patients with a likely diagnosis of ICD-11 Complex PTSD following multiple interpersonal trauma and a history of multiple treatment attempts. : Participants (= 73) received iPE in 12 × 90-minute sessions over four days (intensive phase) followed by four weekly 90-minute booster prolonged exposure (PE) sessions (booster phase).

Harm expectancy violation during exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Exposure therapy has proven efficacy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotional processing theory proposes that fear habituation is a central mechanism in symptom reduction, but the empirical evidence supporting this is mixed. Recently it has been proposed that violation of harm expectancies is a crucial mechanism of action in exposure therapy.

Low levels of vitamin D poorly responsive to daylight exposure in patients with therapy-resistant schizophrenia.

Background: Low vitamin D levels are associated with schizophrenia, but the possible association between vitamin D levels and illness severity or duration of exposure to daylight has barely been investigated.

Aims: To compare vitamin D levels in therapy-refractory severely ill schizophrenia patients and members of staff. To investigate the influence of daylight exposure on vitamin D levels in patients.

Prescriptive variables for d-cycloserine augmentation of exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.

In recent years, several studies have demonstrated efficacy of d-cycloserine (DCS) enhanced exposure therapy across anxiety disorders. In this study we examined person-level variables that predicted response to DCS enhanced exposure therapy in a chronic, mixed trauma PTSD sample. The sample consisted of 67 treatment-seeking individuals, randomly allocated to receive exposure therapy augmented with DCS (50 mg) or identical looking placebo.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial of D-cycloserine to enhance exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder.

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex and debilitating anxiety disorder, and, although prolonged exposure therapy has been proven effective, many patients remain symptomatic after treatment. In other anxiety disorders, the supplementary use of D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial agonist at the glutamatergic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, showed promise in enhancing treatment effects. We examined whether augmentation of prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD with DCS enhances treatment efficacy.

Measurements in the Addictions for Triage and Evaluation (MATE): an instrument based on the World Health Organization family of international classifications.

Aims: To present and evaluate a measurement tool for assessing characteristics of people with drug and/or alcohol problems for triage and evaluation in treatment. Measurements in the Addictions for Triage and Evaluation (MATE) is composed of 10 modules, selected on the basis of a detailed set of specifications. Conceptually, the MATE was constructed according to the ICD and International Classification of Functioning (ICF) in the World Health Organization (WHO) classification system.

Prophylactic efficacy of lithium versus carbamazepine in treatment-naive bipolar patients.

Background: Alternatives to lithium for prophylactic treatment of patients with bipolar affective disorders are increasingly being advocated. However, trials comparing lithium with alternatives are scarce and often biased.

Method: We studied 94 patients with at least 2 episodes of bipolar disorder (DSM-III-R) during the previous 3 years who were in remission at entry into the study.