The microvascular alterations in frontal cortex during treatment with antipsychotics: a post-mortem study.

Introduction: Schizophrenia is the most severe psychiatric illness, with a biological support in the brain. There is evidence that the adequate dopamine balance in the frontal cortex is associated with a better outcome of the disorder, while the alteration of dopamine mechanism at this level may affect the vascular system leading to secondary neuronal alterations. Our study was conducted post-mortem and its objective was to identify the alterations in the neuronal architecture, in the integrity of the microvascular unit in the frontal cortex of patients treated with potent and excessive D2-blocking antipsychotics.

Intramuscular olanzapine versus short-acting typical intramuscular antipsychotics: comparison of real-life effectiveness in the treatment of agitation.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of intramuscular (IM) olanzapine and typical IM antipsychotics in naturalistically treated acutely agitated patients with schizophrenia or acute mania.

Methods: During the acute phase, 2011 inpatients (including emergency settings) were assessed at 2, 24 and 72 h, and 7 days following initial injection and on oral antipsychotic transition. Mean change in agitation was assessed via Positive and Negative Symptom Scale-Excited Component (PANSS-EC) and Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S) scores.