News | Neurological conditions

News

Researchers claim to have first direct evidence serotonin release is reduced in depression

After patients received d-amphetamine, which stimulates serotonin release, researchers found that those with major depressive disorder or depression linked to Parkinson's disease released significantly less serotonin than non-depressed patients.…

Published: 7 November 2022

News

Scottish epilepsy medicines registry to deliver data by end of 2022

The Scottish government also said it was in talks with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to share its epilepsy data.…

Published: 3 November 2022

Feature

How COVID-19 increased antipsychotic prescribing in care homes

As the care home sector struggled to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a shift to using more antipsychotic drugs. While concerning, this has since provided the push needed to consider new solutions to reduce prescribing of these potentially harmful drugs.…

Published: 3 November 2022

Feature

Anticholinergic drugs and dementia: a causal link?

The implications of changes to the regulation of oxybutynin in the UK and the case for deprescribing anticholinergics, such as this, to prevent cognitive adverse effects.…

Published: 5 October 2022

News

Alzheimer’s drug found to slow disease progression in phase III trial hailed as ‘historic’

Despite substantial side effects, patients taking lecanemab deteriorated 27% more slowly than those who took placebo.…

Published: 29 September 2022

News

Cannabis-based Sativex approved for NHS use in Scotland 

The Scottish Medicines Consortium's decision to approve Sativex brings it in line with the rest of the UK.…

Published: 13 September 2022

News

Safety requirements for use of valproate ‘still not being fully met’, finds NHS audit

Only 26.5% of patients taking sodium valproate who did not use highly effective contraception were referred to their GP by a pharmacist, the 2019/2020 Pharmacy Quality Scheme Valproate Audit found.…

Published: 12 August 2022

Feature

Silencing the genes that harm the brain

There have been variable results so far, but researchers are hopeful that new drugs can be developed to halt disease progression in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s.…

Published: 11 August 2022

Opinion

How we set up the UK’s first clopidogrel genomics testing system

Specialist clinical pharmacist Alex Matos explains how he has been implementing pharmacogenomics in daily use on the acute stroke ward.…

Published: 1 August 2022

News

Safety review launched into anti-epileptic medicine topiramate over fears of harm to unborn children

The review was prompted by study results that showed there was a two- to four-fold increased risk of developmental disorders or learning difficulties in children exposed to topiramate before birth.…

Published: 27 July 2022