How This Shrink Picks Antidepressants
Dinah at Shrink Rap wrote an article about how she chooses antidepressants for patients who come and see her. The factors, which Dinah’s full article elaborates, include: Past history of response, Family history of response, Patient preference, Other Medical Issues, My Best Guess at What Will Help the Target Symptoms, My Best Guess at the Side Effect Profile, and The Patient’s Financial Concerns and What I have Samples of. Dinah also talks about concerns with weight gain on antidepressants, and how this is often a very individual side effect even if the drug “class” itself has been associated (statistically) with weight gain in patients.
Breast Cancer Drug in Bipolar Mania Suggests Novel Therapy Options
Reuters reported on a study by the National Institute of Mental Health that showed breast cancer drug tamoxifen may have an effect on the “manic” symptoms of bipolar disorder. The researchers used tamoxifen because of its effect on protein kinase C (PKC), an enzyme that has many effects on cells, including brain cells. PKC may be overactive in bipolar mania. The study was published in the September 2007 issue of the medical journal, Bipolar Disorders.
My major concern about this study is that it is extremely small: only 16 patients. These 16 patients were then given either tamoxifen or placebo for 3 weeks, and 10 out of the 16 patients had reduced mania symptoms compared with placebo. According to the study, effects were observable within 5 days. According to Reuters, tamoxifen is “too dangerous” of a drug for use in bipolar disorder, and this study is meant to encourage the search for bipolar disorder drugs that target PKC. One of the study investigators believes that targeting PKC may allow for faster effects of antimania drugs.
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Risperdal Approved in U.S. for Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Risperdal (risperidone) for treating schizophrenia in teenagers ages 13 to 17 and for treating short-term mania or mixed episodes of bipolar disorder type I in children and teens. Currently there are no FDA approved medications for treating schizophrenia in children. Up until now, Lithium was the only drug approved for treating bipolar disorder in adolescents from age 12. Risperdal is currently approved for treating schizophrenia in adults, as well as treating short term mania or mixed episodes in adults with bipolar disorder type I. Risperdal is also approved for treating irritability associated with autistic disorder in children and teens. Common side effects with Risperdal include drowsiness, fatigue, increase in appetite, anxiety, nausea, dizziness, dry mouth, tremor, and rash. Source: FDA.
Wall Street Journal’s Health Blog has an interview about this approval.