Study finds some schizophrenics do well without long-term antipsychotics – Chicago Tribune

“Patients who go off antipsychotics may drop off the radar of medical professionals, who mostly focus on the sickest patients, researchers say. And, in an era of intense stigma, patients who are off antipsychotics and functioning well are unlikely to discuss their experiences openly.”

” by the fifth year of the study, the schizophrenia patients who were off antipsychotics for extended periods actually were doing better than the patients who were on antipsychotics — perhaps because they had been less ill to begin with.”

Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? – Beyond Meds

Generally, prolonged withdrawal syndrome is not recognized by medicine. You will find very few doctors to diagnose it and still fewer to treat it. This is a collection of links that might help you educate yourself so that you can find more appropriate care when the time comes as well as hopefully avoiding falling ill at all.

Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes?

 – Beyond Meds.

Connecting to madness | Jim van Os | TEDxMaastricht – YouTube

Professor of Psychiatry (dissenting member of DSM-5 panel) explians why schizophrenia is not a disease. And certainly no genetic disease. And why the name schizophrenia is gone in ten years.

Connecting to madness | Jim van Os | TEDxMaastricht – YouTube.

Johnson & Johnson to Pay More Than $2.2 Billion to Resolve Criminal and Civil Investigations | OPA | Department of Justice

“to resolve criminal and civil liability” for “promotion for uses not approved as safe and effective… and payment of kickbacks to physicians and to the nation’s largest long-term care pharmacy provider.” This is the “largest health care fraud settlements in U.S. history, including criminal fines and forfeiture totaling $485 million and civil settlements with the federal government and states totaling $1.72 billion.”

Johnson & Johnson to Pay More Than $2.2 Billion to Resolve Criminal and Civil Investigations | OPA | Department of Justice.

Single dose of antidepressant changes the brain | Science Codex

Their whole-brain network analysis shows that one dose of the SSRI reduces the level of intrinsic connectivity in most parts of the brain. However, Sacher and her colleagues observed an increase in connectivity within two brain regions, specifically the cerebellum and thalamus.

Single dose of antidepressant changes the brain | Science Codex.

Neuropsychopharmacology – The Influence of Chronic Exposure to Antipsychotic Medications on Brain Size before and after Tissue Fixation: A Comparison of Haloperidol and Olanzapine in Macaque Monkeys

Three groups of six macaque monkeys each were exposed to oral haloperidol, olanzapine or sham for a 17–27 month period…. we observed an 8–11% reduction in mean fresh brain… both drug-treated groups compared to sham animals. The differences were observed across all major brain regions

Neuropsychopharmacology – The Influence of Chronic Exposure to Antipsychotic Medications on Brain Size before and after Tissue Fixation: A Comparison of Haloperidol and Olanzapine in Macaque Monkeys.

JAMA Psychiatry | Long-term Antipsychotic Treatment and Brain Volumes

“Conclusions  Viewed together with data from animal studies, our study suggests that antipsychotics have a subtle but measurable influence on brain tissue loss over time, suggesting the importance of careful risk-benefit review of dosage and duration of treatment as well as their off-label use.”

JAMA Network | JAMA Psychiatry | Long-term Antipsychotic Treatment and Brain Volumes:  A Longitudinal Study of First-Episode Schizophrenia.

Long-term Antipsychotic Treatment and Brain Volumes… More medication means less white & gray matter

It’s official: Antipsychotics shrink the brain!

Ho, Andreasen and colleagues report that:

More antipsychotic treatment was associated with smaller gray matter volumes. Progressive decrement in white matter volume was most evident among patients who received more antipsychotic treatment. Illness severity had relatively modest correlations with tissue volume reduction, and alcohol/illicit drug misuse had no significant associations when effects of the other variables were adjusted

JAMA Network | JAMA Psychiatry | Long-term Antipsychotic Treatment and Brain Volumes:  A Longitudinal Study of First-Episode Schizophrenia.

Early Life Adversity Is Associated With Elevated Levels of Metablic enzymes

Early Life Adversity Is Associated With Elevated Levels of Circulating Leptin, Irisin, and Decreased Levels of Adiponectin in Midlife Adults

These are metabolic enzymes, disruption of which can lead to metabolic syndrome, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

We also know that many (most) patients diagnosed with psychosis have a history of abuse and/or neglect, but these are the most likely to be prescribed “antipsychotics”, which ALSO induce metabolic syndrome, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

How sensible is that?

From the psychiatrist who’d never take anti-depressants, to the heart doctor who steers clear of statins, we reveal the medical treatments the experts refuse to have themselves | Mail Online

From the psychiatrist who’d never take anti-depressants, to the heart doctor who steers clear of statins, we reveal the medical treatments the experts refuse to have themselves | Mail Online.

Reminds me of an expert-by-experience colleague (@jacquidillon) who challenged a group of skeptical doctors to reveal whether they would recommend antipsychotic medication for their own children. I think they closed the meeting.