INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to determine the differences between lithium and atypical antipsychotics (quetiapine and olanzapine) with regard to their effects on sexual functions and hormonal variables and to assess the findings in term of gender differences, in patients with bipolar disorder. METHOD 28 female and 29 male patients diagnosed as having bipolar disorder type I accordin...

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of quetiapine and the effects of dosage relates to its effectiveness on schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder in a naturalistic setting in Korean people. METHODS This study was a 24-week, open-label, non-comparative, naturalistic study of quetiapine in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder according to D...

OBJECTIVE To assess weight and metabolic effects of 6 months of treatment with second-generation antipsychotics in naïve/quasi-naïve youths. METHOD This study looked at a nonrandomized, naturalistic, multicenter, inception cohort study of 279 patients aged 4 to 17 years (mean = 14.6 ± 2.9 years). Of those, 248 (88.8%) received a single antipsychotic (risperidone, olanzapine, or quetiapine) an...

BACKGROUND Clozapine is known to cause fecal impaction and ileus with resultant colonic necrosis due to compression of colonic mucosa. There are rare reports of clozapine causing necrosis of other portions of the gastrointestinal tract unrelated to constipation. We describe a case of acute necrosis of the upper gastrointestinal tract and small bowel to due to clozapine and quetiapine. CASE PR...

BACKGROUND With the advent of newer antipsychotic drugs, side effects such as sexual dysfunction have been a major contributor toward treatment compliance. There are only a few studies that have compared different atypical antipsychotic agents regarding sexual dysfunction. We have not come across any data in this area on Indian population. AIMS To determine and compare the frequency of sexual...

INTRODUCTION Patients on levodopa therapy frequently require additional antipsychotic pharmacotherapy. However, consideration must be given to antagonistic interactions on dopamine receptors between levodopa and antipsychotics, and efficacy and safety of such combinations. We therefore aimed to explore the practice and rationale of coprescription between levodopa and antipsychotics in psychiatr...

OBJECTIVE We investigated the effects of antipsychotics on immune-challenged peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures. METHODS Blood samples were collected from twelve patients with first-episode schizophrenia. The PBMCs were separated and cultures were prepared and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly[I:C]), and then separately treated wi...

OBJECTIVE Patients suffering from psychosis are more likely than the general population to commit aggressive acts, but the therapeutics of aggressive behavior are still a matter of debate. METHODS This pilot randomized, open-label study compared the efficacy of quetiapine versus olanzapine in reducing impulsive and aggressive behaviors (primary endpoints) and psychotic symptoms (secondary end...

We present a case of T.M. admitted to University Department of Psychiatry, Split University Hospital Center, in Croatia, because of the acute psychotic reaction (F23.9). The patient's urine tested positive for methadone without a history of methadone ingestion. Urine drug screen was performed with the COBAS Integra Methadone II test kit (kinetic interaction of microparticles in solution /KIMS/ ...

Priapism is characterized by a prolonged and painful erection in the absence of sexual desire and arousal. Priapism is a rare and serious side effect of psychotropic drugs, and is thought to be attributable to blockage of alpha-1 adrenergic receptors in the corpus cavernosum. Although priapism is commonly associated with typical antipsychotics, there are some (but not many) case reports of pria...