Psychotropic drug

About: Psychotropic drug is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2309 publications have been published within this topic receiving 54070 citations.

The Application of Automated Techniques in Assessing Psychotropic-Drug-Induced Side Effects

Abstract: In response to the need for standardization of methodology in assessing the side effects of psychotropic drugs, the authors describe a rating scale, structured for computer optical reading, to measure changes in physical and laboratory data. They feel that the method described, used on patients who are on low drug dosages, will provide predictors of possible abnormalities later when higher dosages are used.

Psychopharmacological Treatments for Patients with Intellectual Disability

Abstract: The use of psychotropic drugs in intellectual disability is reviewed with reference to psychiatric illness--including psychoses, neuroses, sleep disorders, and personality disorders--as well as to acute and chronic behaviour disorder Aberrant sexual behaviour and other relevant conditions, namely stereotypies, autism, Down's syndrome, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, Cornelia de Lange syndrome, and Prader-Willi syndrome, are also discussed Recent empirical evidence from the intellectual disability literature is documented and where appropriate, recommendations are made regarding which drugs should take priority The authors highlight the clinical importance of psychological and behavioural therapies and conclude that pharmacological treatment must be undertaken with caution for this population In particular, physicians should make themselves especially aware of the side effects and health risks associated with psychotropic drugs Key words: Behaviour Disorder; Developmental Disorders; Mental Retardation; Psychiatric Illness; Psychopharmacology INTRODUCTION Neuroleptic agents and other psychotropic drugs are still widely prescribed for people with intellectual disability Between 20% and 77% of residents in institutions for intellectually disabled people receive psychotropic drugs (1,2) The most frequent drugs employed are the neuroleptics although antidepressants, anticonvulsants, lithium, [beta]-blockers, benzodiazepines, antimuscarinic drugs, and hypnotics are also prescribed There is occasional use of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants, opiate antagonists, and neurotransmitter-depleting agents such as the benzoquinolizine drug, tetrabenazine Most patients receive more than one psychotropic drug (3) The majority of people taking these drugs do not have clear psychiatric illnesses and most would be described as having a behavioural disturbance (4,5) TREATMENT OF PSYCHIATRIC ILLNESS PSYCHOSES If the patient has a psychiatric illness that fulfils International Classification of Disease (ICD)-10 or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV criteria for a psychiatric disorder for which drug treatment is effective, it is usual to give these drugs in the first instance In practice, the majority of patients with intellectual disability do not fulfil the criteria indicated in standard operational texts, hampering confident diagnosis of most psychiatric illnesses, in particular psychotic disorders Thus, it is not possible to diagnose schizophrenia in those who function below the mild intellectual disability range (6) However, if there is evidence of affective flattening, incongruous behaviour, self-preoccupation and catatonic posturing, neuroleptic medication can have a dramatic effect, suggesting that such syndromes in those of lower intelligence are of schizophrenic origin (7) A diagnosis of affective disorder can be made more confidently for intellectually disabled people even if they have major communication difficulties The symptom triad of recent insomnia, loss of weight, and reduced activity usually indicates depression in the absence of a physical cause Conversely, increasing activity accompanied by euphoria and/or irritability is suggestive of mania in the absence of other factors The treatment of schizophrenia in intellectually disabled persons is not essentially different from the treatment of this illness in people of average intelligence There is increased usage of the newer 'atypical' anti-psychotic drugs in people with intellectual disability because of the dangers of tardive dyskinesia (8) and akathisia (9) that are more frequent for older neuroleptics A further hazard is the potentially fatal neuroleptic malignant syndrome, which has also been reported following treatment with atypical neuroleptics such as clozapine and risperidone (10) There has also been a recent report of neuroleptic-induced dementia in four adults with intellectual disability …

Pharmacological properties of 6,7-tetramethylene-5-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-3H-thieno[2,3-e](1,4)-diazepin-2-one (QM-6008, thiadipone), a new psychotropic drug.

Abstract: The pharmacological actions of 6,7-tetramethylene-5-phenyl-1,2,-dihydro-3H-thieno]2,3-e](1,4)-diazepin-2-one (QM-6008, thiadiapone), a new psychotropic drug, have been studied. QM-6008 shares many of the psychosedative effects in rodents of benzodiazepines. The electroencephalographic actions in rats and rabbits of QM-6008 and chlordiazepoxide are also rather similar. This new compounds is endowed with clear conflict attenuating properties in an approach-avoidance schedule and can be considered, in consequence, as a new potentially useful anxiolytic drug. In other operant conditioning procedures in rats--Variable Interval and Discriminated Avoidance--QM-6008 induces an increase in response rate which is not generally shared by chlordiazepoxide. The psychopharmacological data collected in the present work leal to classify this new thienodiazepine derviative within the fram of tranquilizers of the benxodaizapine type. The sedative effects of QM-6008 appear howerer to be less potent and the psychostimulatn effects more markde than those ofchlordiazeposide.