Keep in mind sex differences when prescribing psychotropic drugs

Women represent the majority of patients with psychiatric diagnoses and also the largest users of psychotropic drugs.There are inevitable differences in efficacy,side effects and long-term treatment response between men and women.Psychopharmacological research needs to develop adequately powered animal and human trials aimed to consider pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of central nervous system drugs in both male and female subjects.Healthcare professionals have the responsibility to prescribe sex-specific psychopharmacotherapies with a priority to differentiate between men and women in order to minimize adverse drugs reactions,to maximize therapeutic effectiveness and to provide personalized management of care.

Psychotropic drugs and liver disease:A critical review of pharmacokinetics and liver toxicity

The liver is the organ by which the majority of sub-stances are metabolized, including psychotropic drugs. There are several pharmacokinetic changes in end-stage liver disease that can interfere with the metabolization of psychotropic drugs. This fact is particularly true in drugs with extensive first--pass metabolism, highly protein bound drugs and drugs depending on phase I hepatic metabolic reactions. Psychopharmacological agents are also associated with a risk of hepatotoxicity. The evidence is insufficient for definite conclusions regarding the prevalence and severity of psychiatric drug-induced liver injury. High-risk psychotropics are not advised when there is pre-existing liver disease, and after starting a psychotropic agent in a patient with hepatic impairment, frequent liver function/lesion monitoring is advised. The authors carefully review the pharmacokinetic disturbances induced by end-stage liver disease and the potential of psychopharmacological agents for liver toxicity.

Effects of Pilocarpine Hydrochloride on the Hyposalivation Induced by Psychotropic Drugs

The aim was to study the secretagogue action of pilocarpine on the murine parotid glands submitted to chronic treatment with psychotropic drugs by salivary flow rate determinations and histological alterations. Fifty four male Wistar rats were equally divided in three groups： C group （control） received saline solution for 30 days; AD group （n = 18） received AmitriptylineR and DiazepamR for 30 days, and ADP group （n = 18） received Amitriptyline R and DiazepamR for 30 days and AmitriptylineR, DiazepamR and pilocarpine for further 30 days, resulting in 60 days of treatment. Saliva samples were collected 30 h after the end of treatment. Parotids were removed and processed for hematoxylin-eosin histological analysis. Dedicated software for image processing allowed the determination of cell number and volume. Significant differences between paired-groups C-AD （P 〈 0.01） and AD-ADP （P 〈 0.01） were observed for glands size and weight. The volume of serous cells was greater in AD, suggesting a hypertrophy of the salivary glands. For salivary flow rate, C group showed the highest average. The number of serous cells was similar between groups ADP and C, with the lowest average being found in AD group （P 〈 0.05）.

An overview of management of narcotics and psychotropic drugs in China

Narcotics and psychotropic drugs are known as controlled drugs with special management and super vision due to their psychic and physiological dependence. Based on the literature review, experts interview and policy comparative analysis, our study summarized and reviewed the status of related legislation and regulations since the enactment of the Narcotics and Psychotropic Drugs Regulations in 2005. We found the problems of legal loopholes, the complexity of supervision system and the irrational use of narcotics in the treatment of chronic non-cancer. Our analysis suggested that China should reinforce legislation, strengthen the cooperation among departments, establish the information network and improve the guideline of narcotics and psychotropic drugs for clinical treatment as quickly as possible.

Six psychotropics for pre-symptomatic ＆ early Alzheimer＇s (MCI), Parkinson＇s, and Huntington＇s disease modification

The quest for neuroprotective drugs to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases （NDDs）, including Alzheimer＇s disease （AD）, Parkinson＇s disease （PD）, and Huntington＇s disease （HD）, has been largely unrewarding. Preclinical evidence suggests that repurposing quetiapine, lithium, valproate, fluoxetine, donepezil, and memantine for early and pre-symptomatic disease-modification in NDDs may be promising and can spare regulatory barriers. The literature of these psychotropics in early stage and pre-symptomatic AD, PD, and HD is reviewed and propitious findings follow. Mild cognitive impairment （MCI） phase of AD： salutary human randomized controlled trial findings for low-dose lithium and, in selected patients, donepezil await replication. Pre-symptomatic AD： human epidemiological data indicate that lithium reduc- es AD risk. Animal model studies （AMS） reveal encouraging results for quetiapine, lithium, donepezil, and memantine. Early PD： valproate AMS findings show promise. Pre-symptomatic PD： lithium and valproate AMS findings are encouraging. Early HD： uncontrolled clinical data indicate non-progression with lithium, fluoxetine, donepezil, and memantine. Pre-symptomatic HD： lithium and valproate are auspicious in AMS. Many other promising findings awaiting replication （valproate in MCI; lithium, valproate, fluoxetine in pre-symptomatic AD; lithium in early PD; lithium, valproate, fluoxetine in pre-symptomatic PD; donepezil in early HD; lithium, fluoxetine, memantine in pre-symptomatic HD） are reviewed. Dose- and stage-dependent effects are considered. Suggestions for signal-enhancement in human trials are provided for each NDD stage.

Aging effects on QT interval： Implications for cardiac safety of antipsychotic drugs

Objectives To explore the effect of aging on cardiac toxicity specifically the interaction of age and antipsychotic drugs to alter the QT interval. Methods The Medline databases were searched using the OvidSP platforms with the search strategy： ＂QT interval＂ or ＂QT＂ and ＂age＂ or ＂aging＂. The entry criteria were： over 10,000 apparently healthy individuals with data on both sexes; QT interval corrected for heart rate （QTc） and an expression of its variance for multiple age decades extending into the older ages. Results QTc increased in duration with increasing age. Considering a modest one SD increment in QTc in the normal population, the addition of Chlorpromazine produced a QTc on average greater than 450 ms for ages 70 years and older. Risperidone, that did not on average alter QTc, would be expected to produce a QTc of 450 ms in persons in their mid 70 years under some circumstances. QTc prolongation 〉 500 ms with antipsychotic drugs is more likely for persons with QTc initially at the 99th percentile. It may occur with Haloperidol which does not on average alter QTc. Conclusions The range of values for the QT interval in apparently normal older men or women, when combined with the range of expected QT interval changes induced by antipsychotic drugs, can readily be associated with prolonged QTc. Individuals with QTc at the 99th percentile may have serious QTc prolongation with antipsychotic drugs even those that are not usually associated with QTc prolongation.

Psychotropic drug abuse in pregnancy and its impact on child neurodevelopment:A review

Substance abuse by women of child-bearing age and fetal in utero drug exposure has increased in the number of infants born with health issues.Prenatal exposure to psychoactive substances can lead to neurological and neurodevelopmental deficits later in life.Useful data concerning the effects of psychoactive drugs on fetal neurodevelopmental status are sparse.Understanding the neurodevelopmental consequences of prenatally drug-exposed children has become a pressing global concern.The aim of this review is to gather current evidence and information on neurodevelopmental outcomes of in utero drug exposure.A literature search was performed on the PubMed,Scopus,and Google Scholar databases using the terms“psychotropic drugs”,“neurodevelopmental consequences”,“prenatal drug exposure”,and“pregnancy”.Available studies on in utero drug exposure were reviewed and found to support the idea that some degree of health issues are present in fetuses and children.Different psychoactive substances have profound neurodevelopmental consequences,such as structural brain changes,poor attention span,Down syndrome,attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,autism spectrum disorder,imbalances in neurotransmitter levels,and many structural deficits.The pervasive use of psychoactive drugs in women of child-bearing age is an important health concern.Further scientific efforts are needed to investigate the effect of prenatal exposure to psychoactive drugs on children.

Role of antipsychotics for treating behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia

Over the past three decades, concerns about the high prevalence of antipsychotic use in the nursing homes （NHs） for the management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia continue to be emphasized and intervened by many. However, despite the numerous side effects and the recent blackbox warning by the United States Food and Drug Administration about the increased risks for stroke and sudden death associated with the use of antipsychotics in dementia, the preva-lence of antipsychotic use in NHs remains high. While the use of antipsychotics appeared to have modest effcacy in reducing symptoms of aggression and psychosis in dementia, there is insuffcient evidence to routinely rec-ommend the use of alternative psychopharmacological treatments for these symptoms. Hence, clinicians have to balance the safety warnings against the need to treat these symptoms in order to prevent harm to the resident that may result from his/her dangerous behaviors. Although the use of antipsychotics may be warranted in some cases, organizational, resource and training support should be provided to encourage and equip NH staff to participate in interventions so as to minimize inappropriate use of these medicines in NHs. This review will discuss the place in therapy, the trend and appropriateness of antipsychotic use in NHs, as well as the effectiveness of current and future strategies for reducing antipsychotic use in the NHs.