Navigating the physical world requires learning probabilistic associations between sensory events and their change in time (volatility). Bayesian accounts of this process rest on hierarchical prediction errors (PEs) that are weighted by estimates uncertainty (or its inverse, precision). In a previous fMRI study we found low-level precision-weighted PEs about visual outcomes (that update beliefs...

BACKGROUND Impaired sexual function is increasingly recognized as a side effect of psychopharmacological treatment. However, underlying mechanisms of action of the different drugs on sexual processing are still to be explored. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we previously investigated effects of serotonergic (paroxetine) and dopaminergic (bupropion) antidepressants on sexual functi...

Although atypical antipsychotics have been associated with improvements in cognitive function in schizophrenia, the neurochemical basis for such effects is not well understood. Candidate neurotransmitter systems primarily involve dopamine and serotonin. The current study explored this issue by examining the cognitive abilities, social function and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia ...

AIM Evaluation of the effect of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR) vs. amisulpride measured by total Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score (HAM-D(21)) in patients with pure dysthymia (DSM IV). Two hundred and four patients were randomised and treated with ALCAR 500 mg b.i.d. or amisulpride 50 mg u.i.d. in a double-blind study, for 12 weeks. RESULTS A solid improvement of HAM-D(21) was observed in bo...

BACKGROUND Electroconvulsive therapy is frequently considered when pharmacotherapy is ineffective. In such cases the combination of the two treatment modalities are commonly used. Amisulpiride, a second generation antipsychotic drug is used in the treatment of schizophrenia and psychotic depression. When amisulpiride is ineffective as a monotherapy, combination with ECT could be an option to en...

Jumping to conclusions (JTC) during probabilistic reasoning is a cognitive bias repeatedly demonstrated in people with schizophrenia and shown to be associated with delusions. Little is known about the neurochemical basis of probabilistic reasoning. We tested the hypothesis that catecholamines influence data gathering and probabilistic reasoning by administering intravenous methamphetamine, whi...

The management of acute episodes in schizophrenia is frequently initiated in the psychiatric emergency department and requires rapid intervention to relieve distress and psychiatric symptoms. Both non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions are needed to calm the patient and prevent potential harm to the patient or others. Treatment is a step-by-step process including management of be...

A large proportion of individuals with schizophrenia show an inadequate response to treatment with antipsychotics. It can be unclear whether this is secondary to subtherapeutic antipsychotic plasma levels or to medication ineffectiveness. The purpose of the present study was to determine the extent of subtherapeutic antipsychotic plasma levels in a group of patients clinically identified as tre...

INTRODUCTION Hyperprolactinemia is a well-recognized side effect of antipsychotic treatment. Cabergoline, a dopamine agonist, has been introduced on the market to treat hyperprolactinemia, even secondary to antipsychotic use. CASE REPORT In this article, we described two schizophrenic patients who received cabergoline to treat their antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia and developed a sub...