Alzheimer’s Disease: Current Therapeutic Status
By Israel Hanin, PhD
Awareness of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its prevalence in the aging population resurged about 40 years ago. Since then, research into the causes and possible cures associated with this disease has grown exponentially. Only five agents are FDA-approved for the treatment of AD patients in the U.S. Four of these are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors; one is an NMDA receptor antagonist. All of these are palliative at best. There presently is no definitive cure for AD. Investigators in the sphere of AD research are covering a broad spectrum of experimental targets, in an attempt to identify the cause of AD, to alleviate the symptoms of this disease state, to hopefully prevent further disease progression and, most importantly, to arrest it before it is able to infect the patient. Scientists from a broad spectrum of disciplines are involved in AD research, each approaching the subject matter from their unique perspective and experiences, thus providing a global and comprehensive overview of AD.
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Invited Insights
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The Brain Game: Circuits and Symptoms of Depression
This game will test your abilities at linking circuits to symptoms. Start playing!
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Back to Basics
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Do Dopamine Partial Agonists Have Partial Efficacy as Antipsychotics?
By Stephen Stahl, MD, PhD
Although they’re pharmacologically interesting, dopamine D2 partial agonists might not be the best compounds to treat schizophrenia. It appears that only those on the antagonist end of the spectrum have antipsychotic efficacy, whereas those on the agonist end of the spectrum are less effective and can even be activating. It is important to get a better understanding of the pharmacological and clinical profiles of D2 partial agonists. Learning how to properly dose them and how to combine them in cases that necessitate polypharmacy might prove beneficial. Even if D2 partial agonists prove to be unpopular as a schizophrenia treatment, the novel pharmacological profile of these agents may have important clinical utility in mood disorders, and they may be effective as augmenting agents to reduce the side effects of D2 antagonists. One disorder’s trash is another disorder’s treasure.
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Essential PsychopharmaSTAHLogy
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Paroxetine
Dosing tips and prescribing pearls of paroxetine
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Tips and Pearls
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Mind Matters (Part II of II): An Exploration of the Placebo Effect in Treating Depression
By Christine Paczkowski, MS
It is well accepted that depression can occur when negative thought patterns alter brain chemistry, but what is the role of positive thought in pharmacological treatment of depression? This two-part article explores the psychological and pharmacological mechanisms underlying the placebo effect as a basis for considering the role of placebos in treating depression.
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Second Messenger
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