Schizophrenia News

The release of the 2011 AAP practice guidelines for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder was associated with an end to an increasing trend in diagnosis of preschoolers, according to data recently published in Pediatrics. Rates of prescribing stimulants remained steady.

Omega-3 fatty acids were not effective for the prevention of psychosis, reduction of symptoms or improved functioning among adults at ultra-high risk for psychotic disorders, according to recent findings. “Cognitive behavioral therapy has been found to be effective in many, although not all, of the published trials. However, the most striking result to date was the finding that ω-3 [polyunsaturated fatty acids] were superior to placebo in reducing the risk for transition to psychosis and psychiatric morbidity in general, not only during the period of treatment, but also for a subsequently prolonged time (median, 6.7 years),” Patrick D. McGorry, MD, PhD, of National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, and colleagues wrote. “Safe and beneficial to health in many ways, ω-3 [polyunsaturated fatty acids] represent a simple and relatively inexpensive potential treatment strategy.”

Incidence of first-episode psychosis was higher among individuals in ethnic minority groups, lower socioeconomic groups and those who lived in more urban or deprived neighborhoods, suggesting potential target areas for intervention services.

The NIMH recently awarded a 5-year, $3.2 million grant to Jeffrey Stanley, PhD, and Vaibhav Diwadkar, PhD, of Wayne State University School of Medicine, to investigate the role of brain plasticity, function and network dynamics within underlying mechanisms of impaired learning and memory in schizophrenia.

Adjunctive taurine in addition to a low-dose antipsychotic improved first-episode psychosis symptoms among young adults, according to data presented at the International Early Psychosis Association meeting.

Substance abuse, particularly cannabis and alcohol, were associated with increased risk for schizophrenia, according to data presented at the International Early Psychosis Association meeting.

Low vitamin D levels were associated with negative and depressive symptoms among individuals with a history of psychotic episodes, according to data presented at the International Early Psychosis Association meeting.

Children of parents with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder were more likely to have mental health problems by age 7 years, according to data presented at the International Early Psychosis Association meeting.

SAN ANTONIO — Paliperidone palmitate long-acting injectable therapy reduced schizophrenia symptom severity among individuals with differing durations of illness, according to data presented at U.S. Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress.

Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. recently announced study results that indicated Latuda statistically significantly improved schizophrenia symptoms among adolescents.