Schizophrenia Treatment

Link Between Brain Systems Implicated In Schizophrenia Identified

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:59:06 -0500

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have deciphered the complex relationship between three distinct brain circuits implicated in schizophrenia. The researchers determined that one brain circuit acts through an intermediary brain circuit. The intermediary circuit acts like a volume control knob, turning up the electrical activity of still another brain circuit, or turning it down.

The finding suggests that schizophrenia could result from a malfunction anywhere in the link between these three brain circuits.

Newer Antipsychotics No Better Than Older Schizophrenia Drugs

ruzik_tuzik — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 07:19:36 -0500

Two newer atypical antipsychotic medications were no more effective than an older conventional antipsychotic in treating child and adolescent schizophrenia and may lead to more metabolic side effects, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Childhood Bedwetting Occurred Twice As Often In Adults With Schizophrenia

ruzik_tuzik — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:39:19 -0500

Childhood bedwetting occurred twice as often in adults with schizophrenia than in their unaffected brothers and sisters, according to a new study from researchers at NIMH. Their report appears in the September 2008 issue of the journal Brain.

In the study led by NIMH's Thomas M, Hyde, M.D., Ph.D., the mothers of 211 adult schizophrenia patients and of 234 unaffected adult brothers and sisters were asked to recall their children's bedwetting history. For additional comparison, mothers of 355 other adults without schizophrenia were also asked to recall their children's bedwetting.

Molecular Switch Boosts Brain Activity Associated With Schizophrenia

ruzik_tuzik — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:38:31 -0500

People with schizophrenia have an alteration in a pattern of brain electrical activity associated with learning and memory. Now, researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Sweden’s Karolinska Institute have identified in mouse brain tissue a molecular switch that, when thrown, increases the strength of this electrical pattern. The researchers found that adding the brain chemical Neuregulin-1 to the brain tissue boosted the electrical signals that the tissue generated.

UI Pieces Together Schizophrenia Genetic Puzzle

ruzik_tuzik — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 12:06:16 -0500

University of Iowa researchers contributed to a study that found a particular genetic variation is associated with schizophrenia. The severe mental health disorder affects nearly 1 percent of people in the United States and can include delusions, hallucinations and confused thinking.

A rare glimpse of schizophrenia's genetic roots

hareyan — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:16:56 -0500

Large multinational study reveals rare structural DNA changes play role in schizophrenia.

The delusions and hallucinations of schizophrenia can be devastating for the 1% of the population struck by the disease. The condition clearly has a genetic component, evidenced by its tendency to run in families. However, the search for specific genes or chromosomal regions involved has led to few reproducible findings.

Estrogen Hormone Eases Schizophrenia Symptoms

hareyan — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:23:12 -0500

Researchers have found that estrogen hormone significantly improves schizophrenia symptoms when taken along with general drugs.

Researchers from Monash University in Melbourne examined 102 women with schizophrenia. They were divided into two groups with 56 women given 100 mg of estradiol - a form of estrogen - and 46 women given a placebo. The hormone was given via a skin patch, which was applied for 28 days. Women were also taking their standard drugs, such as Eli Lilly's Zyprexa.

Risk Of Schizophrenia Increased By Unusual Chromosomal Changes

hareyan — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:38:54 -0500

People with schizophrenia have an increased number of unusual chromosomal changes, particularly structural changes that have the potential to alter the function of the genes. These results were published today in the scientific journal Nature.

Genes Help Identifying The Causes of Schizophrenia

hareyan — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:12:21 -0500

Scientists from the University have identified a risk gene associated with the mental health disorder schizophrenia.

An international group of researchers, led by Professors Michael O’Donovan, Nick Craddock, and Michael Owen from the School of Medicine examined DNA samples from over 7,000 individuals with schizophrenia, and almost 13,000 people without the disorder.

Their findings, which are reported in the journal Nature Genetics, show that DNA variants that are common in the population at large also contribute to some individuals developing schizophrenia.

Increased Burden Of Rare Genetic Variations Found In Schizophrenia

ruzik_tuzik — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:00:47 -0500

People with schizophrenia bear an "increased burden" of rare deletions and duplications of genetic material, genome-wide, say researchers supported in part by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).