Risperidone and aripiprazole: genotype, metabolism and dosage

CYP2D6 genotyping before starting treatment might be valuable in clinical practice for individualising risperidone and aripiprazole treatment.

Dolly Sud writes her debut elf blog on a recent retrospective analysis, which compares dose changes of risperidone and aripiprazole with patients’ individual genotype.

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Antipsychotics and metabolic function in people with schizophrenia

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Peter Haddad and Sami Ouanes review a network meta-analysis of the impact of antipsychotic drugs on metabolic function in people with schizophrenia.

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The Trial: pharmacotherapy versus psychotherapy for schizophrenia – how do trials compare?

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Keith Laws looks at a systematic review of patient and study characteristics, which asks: are randomised controlled trials on pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy for positive symptoms of schizophrenia comparable?

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Cognitive functioning in psychosis: is neuropsychological decline continuous, generalised, and specific to schizophrenia?

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Emmeline Lagunes Cordoba and Derek Tracy explore a case control study that looks at cognitive change in people with schizophrenia and other psychoses in the decade following the first episode.

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Prescribing lithium for bipolar disorder: are we too scared?

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Deenan Edward and Suhana Ahmed summarise a Scottish study of prescribing for bipolar disorder between 2009-2016, which identified a clear trend towards decreasing lithium use.

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How can digital technology help close the mortality gap for people with severe mental illness?

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Lina Gega from the Closing the Gap Network explores a recent review of digital technology for health promotion, which looks at opportunities to address excess mortality in people living with severe mental illness.

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Racial disparities in bipolar disorder diagnosis and treatment: time to talk about racism

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Syeda Akther writes her debut elf blog on a recent review looking at racial disparities in bipolar disorder treatment and research. She argues that we need to start having serious conversations about racism that go beyond unconscious bias.

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Pregnancy and bipolar disorder: international prescribing consensus?

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Dean Connolly looks at an international study which asks: Is there consensus across evidence-based guidelines for the psychotropic drug management of bipolar disorder during the perinatal period?

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Can interventions help to improve social functioning in youth at risk of psychosis?

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Carla McEnery summarises a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventions and social functioning in youth at risk of psychosis.

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Lifestyle training for schizophrenia: STEPWISE fails to make a difference

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Ben Janaway writes his debut elf blog on the STEPWISE RCT which is out today in the British Journal of Psychiatry: Structured lifestyle education for people with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and first-episode psychosis.

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