Psychopharmacology Service

It is not clear that so-called antipsychotic drugs are superior to other types of drugs with sedative effects but different mechanisms of action. Lithium, benzodiazepines and opium have been shown to be comparable to neuroleptics in the treatment of psychotic states in some studies. The ability of the neuroleptic drugs to reduce the most characteristic symptoms of psychosis such as hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder have often been interpreted as evidence of their specifically antipsychotic or antischizophrenic action (The National Institute of Mental Health Psychopharmacology Service Center Collaborative Study... 

The National Institute of Mental Health Psychopharmacology Service Center Collaborative Study Group. 1964, Phenothiazine treatment in acute schizophrenia, Arch.Gen.Psychiatry, vol. 10, pp. 246-258. 

In addition to technical reports, the National Institutes of Health issue several other publications. One of these is the Journal of the National Cancer Institute which publishes not only a large part of the work done at the National Cancer Institute but also research in many other institutions in the U.S. and other countries. It is available from GPO at 20 a year for 12 issues. Another publication is the Psychopharmacology Service Center Bulletin which is distributed at irregular intervals by the Psychopharmocology Service Center, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda 14, Md. It is issued for information purposes to investigators interested in psychopharmacology. Two other publications of NIH are Cancer Chemotherapy Reports and Cancer Chemotherapy Abstracts which may be obtained from National Cancer Institute, Publication Office, Room 213 Robin Building, Bethesda 14, Md. 

Other publications of NIH include selected bibliographies which have been prepared by the Psychopharmacology Service Center, Scientific Information Unit, and are distributed by this group on request. Also, a complete listing of all journals currently received by the library is available on request to the National Institutes of Health Library, Bethesda 14, Md. 

Numerous studies have been made on the biochemical effects of phenothiazines, particularly chlorpromazine [2-chloro-10-(3-dimethyla-minopropyl)-phenothiazine], since they exhibit a special type of depressant action, tranquilization. Their pharmacology and biochemical actions have been recendy reviewed by Bradley (1963) further information on their biochemical effects can be found in the review by Richter (1961) and a recent issue of the Psychopharmacology Service Center Bulletin (1962). 

Tupin, J.P. Psychopharmacology and aggression. In Roth, L.FI.. ed. Clinical Treatment of the Violent Person. Rockville, MD US. Department of Health and Human Services, 1985. pp. 83-99. 

NIDA Researeh Monographs are indexed in the Index Medicus. They are selectively ineluded in the coverage of American Statistics Index, Biosciences Information Service, Chemical Abstracts, Current Contents, Psychological Abstracts, and Psychopharmacology Abstracts. 

Clinical Psychopharmacology Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Baltimore, Maryland... 

Haney, M., Bisaga, A. Foltin, R.W. (2003). Interaction between naltrexone and oral THC in heavy marijuana smokers. Psychopharmacology /66(1) 77-85. http //Hnkspringer.de/Hnk/service/journals/00213/contents/02/ 01279/S00213-002- 1279-8ch002.html (for abstract)... 

While the issue of the ethical conduct of clinical trials in pediatric psychopharmacology is addressed comprehensively elsewhere in this book, it is important to present an FDA perspective on this important matter. It is also important to have the issue of ethics discussed in the context of the scientific needs for trials presented to the FDA in support of new drug applications. These trials must be adequate and well-controlled (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001). What this requirement essentially means is that, in order to support an efficacy claim, the trials must be interpretable and must be able to document efficacy. For treatments that are intended to improve symptoms, as is almost always the case for psychotropic drugs, placebo-controlled trials are the usual standard. This is especially true when there is a substantial failure rate in placebo-controlled trials for the drugs known to work in a particular therapeutic area, as again is the case for most psychotropic drugs. Where that is true,... 

In the United States, the majority of mental health services are provided by nonmedical therapists. Likewise, the majority of prescriptions for psychotropic medications are written by family practice and primary care physicians (see figure 1-A). Thus, even though psychiatrists represent the branch of medicine that specializes in psychopharmacology, they are directly responsible for providing only a fraction of professional services to the mentally ill. Consequently it is becoming increasingly important for all mental health clinicians to have a basic familiarity with psychiatric medication treatment. 

Guy W (1976) The clinical global impression scale. In ECDEU assessment manual for psychopharmacology - revised. US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Public Health Service, ADHMHA, NIMH Psychopharmacology Research Branch, Rockville, MD, pp 218-222... 

Efron, D., Psychopharmacology. A Review of Progress 1957-1967. Public Health Service Publication, No. 1836, 1968. 

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