INTRODUCTION Antipsychotics (AP) induce weight gain. However, reviews and meta-analyses generally are restricted to second generation antipsychotics (SGA) and do not stratify for duration of AP use. It is hypothesised that patients gain more weight if duration of AP use is longer. METHOD A meta-analysis was conducted of clinical trials of AP that reported weight change. Outcome measures were ...

The prefrontal cortex houses representations critical for ongoing and future behavior expressed in the form of patterns of neural activity. Dopamine has long been suggested to play a key role in the integrity of such representations, with D2-receptor activation rendering them flexible but weak. However, it is currently unknown whether and how D2-receptor activation affects prefrontal representa...

INTRODUCTION There are limited treatment options for people with schizophrenia with cytochrome P450 2D6 ultrarapid metabolizer status who do not respond to amisulpride.Furthermore, the literature does not provide evidence-based guidelines for this particular constellation. CASE PRESENTATION We report the case of a 50-year-old Caucasian female patient with schizophrenia and cytochrome P450 2D6...

The management of acute episodes in schizophrenia is frequently initiated in the psychiatric emergency department and requires rapid intervention to relieve distress and psychiatric symptoms. Both non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions are needed to calm the patient and prevent potential harm to the patient or others. Treatment is a step-by-step process including management of be...

Antipsychotics are generally associated with dry mouth and deterioration of the oral health. However, clozapine, the archetype of the atypical antipsychotics, is reported to induce not only mouth dryness but also, in about one-third of the patients, hypersalivation, the latter resulting in disturbed sleep, coughing and choking sensations during the night and drooling during the day. Nevertheles...