UPDATE ON SCHIZOPHRENIA – The North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS) is an ongoing collaborative research project by a consortium of research centres, including the University of Toronto. [For the background see Addington et al. Schizophr Bull 2007; 33: 665-672; free full text at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2526151/?tool=pubmed.]
Latest News
5 patterns of antipsychotic drug response reported
May 25, 2011UPDATE ON SCHIZOPHRENIA – A pooled analysis of six randomized trials of olanzapine and comparator atypical antipsychotic agents (n=1990) reports that five distinct patterns of response can be identified in patients with schizophrenia starting treatment (Stauffer et al. Schizophr Res 2011; epublished April 12, 2011). Response patterns were measured with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS).
Delay in hospitalization with clozapine
May 25, 2011UPDATE ON SCHIZOPHRENIA – A U.K. study reports that time to hospitalization was significantly delayed in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder discharged on clozapine rather than on another antipsychotic medication (Nyakyoma & Morriss. Psychopharmacol Bull 2010; 43: 67-81).
MS incidence higher in African Americans
April 15, 2011REPORT FROM THE 63rd ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NEUROLOGY (AAN), HONOLULU, HAWAII, APRIL 9-16, 2011 – MS is generally described as a disease that primarily affects Caucasians, however, a new study from southern California suggests that the incidence is higher in African Americans than in other racial/ethnic groups (Langer-Gould et al. AAN 2011; abstract P06.032).