Psychopharmacology
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Cannabidiol (CBD) content in vaporized cannabis does not prevent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-induced impairment of driving and cognition.
The main psychoactive component of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can impair driving performance. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-intoxicating cannabis component, is thought to mitigate certain adverse effects of THC. It is possible then that cannabis containing equivalent CBD and THC will differentially affect driving and cognition relative to THC-dominant cannabis. ⋯ Cannabis containing equivalent concentrations of CBD and THC appears no less impairing than THC-dominant cannabis, and in some circumstances, CBD may actually exacerbate THC-induced impairment.
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Non-medical prescription opioid use and opioid use disorder (OUD) present a significant public health concern. Identifying behavioral mechanisms underlying OUD will assist in developing improved prevention and intervention approaches. Behavioral economic demand has been extensively evaluated as a measure of reinforcer valuation for alcohol and cigarettes, whereas prescription opioids have received comparatively little attention. ⋯ Opioid demand was incrementally valid and test-retest reliable as measured by purchase tasks. These findings support behavioral economic demand as a clinically useful measure of drug valuation that is sensitive to individual difference variables.
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Observational Study
Microdosing psychedelics: personality, mental health, and creativity differences in microdosers.
Microdosing psychedelics-the regular consumption of small amounts of psychedelic substances such as LSD or psilocybin-is a growing trend in popular culture. Recent studies on full-dose psychedelic psychotherapy reveal promising benefits for mental well-being, especially for depression and end-of-life anxiety. While full-dose therapies include perception-distorting properties, microdosing mayprovide complementary clinical benefits using lower-risk, non-hallucinogenic doses. ⋯ These findings provide promising initial evidence that warrants controlled experimental research to directly test safety and clinical efficacy. As microdoses are easier to administer than full-doses, this new paradigm has the exciting potential to shape future psychedelic research.
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Schizophrenia displays sex differences in many aspects. Decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels have been reported to be associated with high body weight or obesity as well as other psychopathological aspects in schizophrenia patients. This study aimed to explore sex differences in the relationship between serum BDNF levels and obesity in patients with chronic schizophrenia. ⋯ Our results indicate significant sex differences in the obesity, BMI, BDNF levels, and their association in chronic patients with schizophrenia, showing a significant inverse correlation between BMI and BDNF levels only in female patients. Thus, sex needs to be considered when assessing the relationship between BDNF and metabolic syndromes in schizophrenia.
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Review Meta Analysis
Maximizing response to first-line antipsychotics in schizophrenia: a review focused on finding from meta-analysis.
There are many psychotropic drugs available for treatment of schizophrenia. The clinician's choice of the most effective first-line antipsychotic treatment for patients with schizophrenia should balance considerations of differential efficacy of antipsychotics against the relative risk of different side effects. ⋯ Our review of recent studies using meta-analytic techniques has provided evidence that all antipsychotics are not equal in the severity of different side effects and in some measures of clinical efficacy. Comparative analysis and rankings from network meta-analyses can provide guidance to clinicians in choosing the most appropriate antipsychotic for first-line treatment, if used in conjunction with available information of the patient's history of previous clinical response or higher risks for specific side effects.