Psychopharmacology
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Previous work has suggested that memory impairments have been associated with the recreational use of "ecstasy". This previous work, however, has not taken into consideration the additional use of cannabis amongst those examined. Cannabis use has also been associated with memory impairment. There is therefore a clear need to explore the impact of both of these illicit substances upon memory ability. ⋯ The present study provides additional evidence for longterm neuropsychological sequelae associated with the use of ecstasy, particularly with regard to delayed memory ability.
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Recent studies indicate that morphine is more potent as an antinociceptive agent in male than female rodents and monkeys. ⋯ That sex differences in the potency and effectiveness of opioids increased with decreases in the opioid's relative efficacy and with increases in the nociceptive stimulus intensity suggests that the relative efficacy of mu opioids as antinociceptive agents is greater in male than female rats.
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Previous work suggests clozapine preferentially targets limbic cortical dopamine systems, which could help account for its lack of extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) and superior therapeutic efficacy. ⋯ The atypical antipsychotic drugs olanzapine and sertindole, in common with clozapine, demonstrate higher occupancy of temporal cortical than striatal D2/D3 dopamine receptors in vivo at clinically useful doses. This could help mediate their atypical clinical profile of therapeutic efficacy with few extrapyramidal side effects. Limbic selective blockade of D2/D3 dopamine receptors could be a common action of atypical antipsychotic drugs.
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Remifentanil is a mu-opioid agonist with an exceptionally short duration of action. Evaluating remifentanil's effects within the self-administration model of drug abuse may provide insight into the relationship between a drug's duration of action and its effectiveness as a reinforcer. ⋯ Although rates of self-administration are clearly influenced by a drug's duration of action, the ability to maintain responding under intermittent schedules of reinforcement may be independent of duration of action.
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Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Carbamazepine and valproate monotherapy: feasibility, relative safety and efficacy, and therapeutic drug monitoring in manic disorder.
Search for alternatives to lithium therapy for mood disorders commenced with anticonvulsants, carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproic acid (VPA), in the late 1970s. The comparative safety and efficacy data of CBZ and VPA monotherapy in patients with bipolar disorder remain to be established. ⋯ The findings from this study suggest that both CBZ and VPA monotherapy is feasible for treatment of acute mania; however, VPA is more efficacious in terms of its early onset of action, lesser requirement for rescue medication and better tolerability. Further work needs to be undertaken to characterise the manic patients in terms of their differential psychopharmacologic response profile.