Subjective experience and D2 receptor occupancy in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia treated with low-dose olanzapine or haloperidol: a randomized, double-blind study.

Objective: The authors tested the hypothesis that a dopamine D(2) receptor occupancy level between 60% and 70% in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia would result in optimal subjective experience. In addition, they sought preliminary evidence on whether subjective experience is better with low-dose olanzapine than with low-dose haloperidol.

Method: Subjects (N=24) who met DSM-IV criteria for schizophrenia were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of double-blind treatment with either olanzapine, 7.

A three-pathway psychobiological model of craving for alcohol.

In this article, by reviewing the psychological, psychophysiological, neurobiological, and psychopharmacological literature on craving for alcohol, it is argued that converging evidence from several disciplines suggests a three-pathway psychobiological model of craving. Essential to this model is the appreciation of the role of individual differences in affect regulation strategies or personality styles, conditionability, sensitivity to alcohol's effects, and related dysregulations in distinct neural circuitries or neurotransmitter systems. These factors are of crucial importance to a proper understanding of the nature of craving, its underlying mechanisms and different manifestations.

Safety of antidepressants.

There are a number of criteria that can be used when selecting an antidepressant. In particular safety criteria are important, and a distinction can be drawn between "safe" and "less safe" antidepressants. The relative safety of different antidepressants has been assessed by looking at answers to the questions: how safe is the drug in overdose; how dangerous are its side effects at therapeutic dose; and does it have any dangerous interactions with other drugs or substances? Based on current data it can be said with reasonable confidence that fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, paroxetine and moclobemide are "safe" antidepressants, and mianserin and trazodone are also "safe" but to a lesser extent (mainly because of hypnosedation).