Daring to Think Differently About Schizophrenia

New York Times ^ | 24 February 2008 | By ALEX BERENSON

[shrinkermd]

...The trial results were a major breakthrough in neuroscience, says Dr. Thomas R. Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health. For 50 years, all medicines for the disease had worked the same way — until Dr. Schoepp and other scientists took a different path.

“This drug really looks like it’s quite a different animal,” Dr. Insel says. “This is actually pretty innovative.”

Dr. Schoepp and other scientists had focused their attention on the way that glutamate, a powerful neurotransmitter, tied together the brain’s most complex circuits. Every other schizophrenia drug now on the market aims at a different neurotransmitter, dopamine.

The Lilly results have fueled a wave of pharmaceutical industry research into glutamate. Companies are searching for new treatments, not just for schizophrenia, but also for depression and Alzheimer’s disease and other unseen demons of the brain that torment tens of millions of people worldwide.

Driving the industry’s interest is the huge market for drugs for brain and psychiatric diseases. Worldwide sales total almost $50 billion annually, even though existing medicines have moderate efficacy and have side effects that range from reduced libido to diabetes.

The glutamate researchers warn that their quest for new treatments for schizophrenia is far from complete. The results of the Lilly trial covered only 196 patients and must be validated by much larger trials, the last of which may not be finished until at least 2011. Other glutamate drugs are even further away from approval. And even if the drugs win that approval, they may be viewed skeptically by doctors who have been disappointed by side effects in other drugs that were once been hailed as breakthroughs.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I’m reminded of the film A Brilliant Mind and the potential for finding some semblance of peace; surely the wife gave him the strength and space he needed.

I believe you are referring to "A Beautiful Mind" with Russell Crowe.

[Getready]

It may help, trials and careful analysis of results/adverse
effects/long term effects, etc will hopefully allow
some more insight into control of the disorder.

My guess would be that “schizophrenia” will have other
neurological factors involved. But controlling some of
the symptoms would be a good step. It may allow patients
to have some insight into themselves, and be able to
notice when they are actually having “symptoms”...I have
seen some say that they don’t listen to the voices in the
head so much, since they recognize it as a “symptom.
So any more help in “clearing” their thought processes would
certainly be welcome.

[Getready]

There are some trials using “D-serine”, or other compounds
which work biochemically in the neural tissue to effect
the communication between cells(glutamate is one of the
compounds)...the effect of calcium on the neural communication
is also a factor....perhaps meat has lots of those
compounds...would be interesting point of view for research...

[#1CTYankee]

"Was that an American Idol band? They suck!"

Nope, their call Puddle Of Mudd. The Video isn't all that bad and they have the redeeming quality of not being rap. ;-D

[sarasota]

Thanks for the correction. It was featued over the weekend and I found parts of it difficult to watch. What a struggle for this man.

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[onedoug]

The balding guy just from the left about five rows back doesn’t seem to agree.