57 research outputs found
Critical appraisal of lurasidone in the management of schizophrenia
Lurasidone is a new atypical antipsychotic in the benzoisothiazoles class of chemicals. Like most second-generation antipsychotics it is a full antagonist at dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, and is a partial agonist at 5-HT1A receptors, a property shared by some but not all older agents. It has much greater affinity for 5-HT7 subtype receptors than other atypical antipsychotics. Pharmacokinetic studies showed that lurasidone is reasonably rapidly absorbed, with bioavailability appearing to be increased by food. Lurasidone undergoes extensive metabolism to a number of metabolites, some of which retain pharmacological activities. Metabolism is mainly by CYP3A4, resulting in steady-state concentrations that vary between individuals and are potentially affected by strong inducers and inhibitors of this enzyme. Short-term clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of lurasidone in acute schizophrenia, with doses of 40 and 80 mg/day giving significant improvements from baseline in the PANSS and BPRS scores. The most common adverse events are nausea, vomiting, akathisia, dizziness, and sedation, with minimal increases in the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Lurasidone did not raise the risk of QTc interval prolongation, although additional studies are required. Long-term trials are also needed to assess the risk of new-onset diabetes. Ongoing trials in patients with bipolar disorder are being completed but, again, efficacy and safety have been investigated only in a few short-term clinical trials
Enhancement of cortical extracellular 5-HT by 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptor blockade restores the antidepressant-like effect of citalopram in non-responder mice.
We recently found that the response of DBA/2 mice to SSRIs in the forced swim test (FST) was impaired and they also had a smaller basal and citalopram-stimulated increase in brain extracellular serotonin (5-HT) than 'responder' strains. We employed intracerebral microdialysis, FST and selective antagonists of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors to investigate whether enhancing the increase in extracellular 5-HT reinstated the anti-immobility effect of citalopram in the FST. WAY 100635 (0.3 mg/kg s.c.) or SB 242084 (1 mg/kg s.c.), respectively a selective 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptor antagonist, raised the effect of citalopram (5 mg/kg) on extracellular 5-HT in the medial prefrontal cortex of DBA/2N mice (citalopram alone 5.2+/-0.3 fmol/20 microl, WAY 100635+citalopram 9.9+/-2.1 fmol/20 microl, SB 242084+ citalopram 7.6+/-1.0 fmol/20 microl) to the level reached in 'responder' mice given citalopram alone. The 5-HT receptor antagonists had no effect on the citalopram-induced increase in extracellular 5-HT in the dorsal hippocampus. The combination of citalopram with WAY 100635 or SB 242084 significantly reduced immobility time in DBA/2N mice that otherwise did not respond to either drug singly. Brain levels of citalopram in mice given citalopram alone or with 5-HT antagonists did not significantly differ. The results confirm that impaired 5-HT transmission accounts for the lack of effect of citalopram in the FST and suggest that enhancing the effect of SSRIs on extracellular 5-HT, through selective blockade of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors, could be a useful strategy to restore the response in treatment-resistant depression
Tecnologia social: uma estratégia para o desenvolvimento
Esta publicação apresenta reflexões de diversos representantes de instituições governamentais, do terceiro setor, da sociedade civil e de universidades sobre o tema da Tecnologia Social
Sobre o presente e o futuro da democracia na América Latina: o que dizem os conflitos sociais
O mapa polÃtico da América Latina modificou-se substancialmente nos
últimos 10 anos. Revalorizando a democracia e utilizando o voto como
instrumento de mudança, novas maiorias polÃticas deslocaram do poder
as elites tradicionais e, através de governos de novo tipo, vão construindo
novas agendas nacionais e novas perspectivas de integração regional. Pesquisa
realizada pela ALOP em 17 paÃses da AL mostra um amplo mapa de
resistências e de mobilizações que se enfrentam com as polÃticas neoliberais.
Mobilizações contra os Tratados de Livre Comércio com os EUA, contra a
presença predatória de mineradoras transnacionais na região, pela nacionalização
dos recursos naturais, por melhor qualidade do ensino e da saúde.
Abre-se um perÃodo de invenção democrática e de busca por novas alternativas
para o desenvolvimento
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