The effects of benzodiazepines on learning and memory are examined in the various clinical situations in which these drugs are used. Alterations in performance arising from the conditions for which benzodiazepines are prescribed are also considered. Current evidence indicates that, in anxious patients, as in normal volunteers, benzodiazepines impair the acquisition of new information (episodic memory). Although some tolerance may develop to these impairments, deficits are observed even after patients have been taking their medication chronically. Like amnesic patients, benzodiazepine-treated subjects may be unaware of their impaired ability to learn. The effects of the impairments on behavioral psychotherapies are considered.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-73288-1_8 | DOI Listing |
Autism Res
January 2025
Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Catatonia is a highly morbid psychomotor and affective disorder, which can affect autistic individuals with and without intellectual disability. Catatonic symptoms are treatable with pharmacotherapy and electroconvulsive therapy, but the longitudinal effectiveness of these treatments in autistic individuals has not been described. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of patients with autism and co-morbid catatonia who received outpatient care in a specialized outpatient clinic from July 1, 2021 to May 31, 2024.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHandb Clin Neurol
January 2025
Department of Surgical Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy; Department of Neuroscience, Psychology Unit, University of Pisa Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Pisana (AUOP), Pisa, Italy.
Insomnia disorder is a frequent sleep disorder leading to significant health and economic consequences. It has been proposed that individuals with insomnia may experience compromised deactivation systems of arousal, leading to a chronic state of hyperactivation of arousal known as hyperarousal, along with instability in the flip-flop system. Such disruptions may have a primarily impact on the sleep homeostatic drive process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmacol Ther
January 2025
Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Aging Research Institute, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address:
While benzodiazepines have been a mainstay of the pharmacotherapy of anxiety disorders, their short-term efficacy and risk of abuse have driven the exploration of alternative treatment approaches. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system has emerged as a key modulator of anxiety-related processes, with evidence suggesting dynamic interactions between the eCB system and the GABAergic system, the primary target of benzodiazepines. According to the existing literature, the activation of the cannabinoid receptors has been shown to exert anxiolytic effects, while their blockade or genetic deletion results in heightened anxiety-like responses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNord J Psychiatry
January 2025
Mental Health Center Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Purpose: People living in supported accommodation often have complex care needs, including longer-term mental health illness and physical health comorbidities. Effective coordination between health and supported accommodation services is crucial to address these needs. However, evidence on the effectiveness of healthcare interventions in this setting remains limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Mol Sci
January 2025
Legal Medicine, Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid widely used for its potent analgesic effects in chronic pain management and intraoperative anesthesia. However, its high potency, low cost, and accessibility have also made it a significant drug of abuse, contributing to the global opioid epidemic. This review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of fentanyl's medical applications, pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and pharmacogenetics while examining its adverse effects and forensic implications.
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