Schizophrenia | Page 3 | Health Newstrack

Risperdal Consta approved for bipolar disorder

FDA grants approval for use of RISPERDAL CONSTA as both a monotherapy and adjunctive therapy in the maintenance treatment of Bipolar I Disorder – Janssen, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Supplemental New Drug Applications (sNDAs) for the use of RISPERDAL? CONSTA? (risperidone) Long-Acting Treatment as both monotherapy and adjunctive therapy to lithium or valproate in the maintenance treatment of Bipolar I Disorder.

Fanapt iloperidone approved for schizophrenia treatment

FDA Approves Vanda Pharmaceuticals’ Fanapt(TM) for the Treatment of Schizophrenia – Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: VNDA) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing approval of Fanapt (iloperidone) for the acute treatment of adult patients with schizophrenia.

Lower IQ in children of older fathers

Children of older fathers perform less well in intelligence tests during infancy – Children of older fathers perform less well in a range of cognitive tests during infancy and early childhood, according to a study published this week in the open-access journal PLoS Medicine.

Bulimia nervosa linked to brain circuit abnormalities

Functional abnormalities within a neural system subserves self-regulatory control, which may contribute to binge eating and other impulsive behaviors in women with Bulimia nervosa (BN). – Women with bulimia nervosa appear to respond more impulsively during psychological testing than those without eating disorders, and brain scans show differences in areas responsible for regulating behavior, according to a report in the January issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Complete Response Letter on Seroquel XR for major depressive disorder

AstraZeneca Receives FDA Complete Response Letter on Seroquel XR for Major Depressive Disorder – AstraZeneca announced the company has received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking for additional information for the supplemental New Drug Application for SEROQUEL XR (quetiapine fumarate) Extended Release Tablets for the treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in adult patients.

14 drugs identified for off label use

Researchers have developed a list of 14 widely prescribed medications most urgently in need of additional study to determine how effective and safe they are for their off-label uses. – Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval – a practice known as off-label prescribing. Yet they say the problem is so big they don’t know how to begin tackling it.

People with mental illness smoke more

People with mental illness smoke at four times the rate of general population, says new University of Melbourne study. – Australians with mental illness smoke at four times the rate of the general population, says a new study from the University of Melbourne.

$62 million settlement with drug company Eli Lilly

Attorney General Martha Coakley and 32 Other Attorneys General Announce Record $62 Million Settlement with Drug Company – Eli Lilly and Company. – Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office, along with 32 other attorneys general, reached a record $62 million settlement with Eli Lilly and Company (Eli Lilly) resolving allegations of improper marketing of the atypical antipsychotic drug, Zyprexa.

Chromosomal changes increase schizophrenia risk

Schizophrenia may be partly caused by the effects of unusual structural changes in genes. – People with schizophrenia (mental illness variously affecting behavior, thinking, and emotion) have an increased number of unusual chromosomal changes, particularly structural changes that have the potential to alter the function of the genes.

Cannabis use exerts harmful effects on brain tissue

This study provides new evidence of exposure-related structural abnormalities in the hippocampus and amygdala in long-term heavy cannabis users. Heavy daily cannabis use across protracted periods exerts harmful effects on brain tissue and mental health. – Long-term, heavy cannabis use may be associated with structural abnormalities in areas of the brain known as the hippocampus and amygdala, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.