News November

* risperidol 

Risperidone dose for schizophrenia
Cochran

Li C et al. – Reviewers searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Groups Trials Register (July 2008) for all relevant references and selected all relevant randomised control trials (RCTs). Evidence from the present review indicates that the standard–lower dose range (>=4–<6 mg/day) seems optimal from viewpoints of clinical response and adverse effects, weak evidence supports a low dose (>=2–<4 mg/day) being efficient with less side–effects for people in their first episode of illness. A high dose range (>=10 mg/day) did not have much improvement over a standard–higher dose (>=6–<10 mg/day) or standard–lower dose, but had a higher risk of side–effects, especially movement disorders, and the same was found with an ultra low dose (<2 mg/day) due to an insufficient response. This review supports the use of dosages from low dose to standard–lower dose for different kinds of individual patients.

* risc si predictie

PTSD, depression, and their comorbidity in relation to suicidality: cross-sectional and prospective analyses of a national probability sample of women
Depression and Anxiety, 10/22/09

Cougle JR et al. – PTSD appears to be a particularly strong predictor of SI and SA. Overall, only 16% of women with lifetime SA did not have a history of MDD or PTSD, highlighting the importance of assessing these variables when assessing suicide risk.

* Asenapine

Asenapine versus olanzapine in acute mania: a double-blind extension study
Bipolar Disorders, 10/22/09 t

McIntyre RS et al. – Asenapine was efficacious, showed noninferiority to olanzapine, and was well tolerated in the extended treatment of patients experiencing manic symptoms associated with bipolar I disorder

* emotia

Women outperform men when identifying emotions
EurekAlert, 10/22/09Women are better than men at distinguishing between emotions, especially fear and disgust. The research demonstrated that women are better than men at processing auditory, visual and audiovisual emotions