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Mental and Social Health Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Mental and Social Health

Memantine: Can It Be Used To Treat Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Austin Brown, Katherine Liu, Pul Lee, Rachel Muhlenkamp, Manoranjan D'Souza Dec 2019

Memantine: Can It Be Used To Treat Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder?, Austin Brown, Katherine Liu, Pul Lee, Rachel Muhlenkamp, Manoranjan D'Souza

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social, behavior and communicative skills. The current therapy for ASD only targets the associated symptoms such as aggression, self-harming acts or temper tantrums but not the core symptoms of social dysfunction. The pathology of ASD is not fully understood. Interestingly, imaging studies in ASD patients have reported abnormal high levels of glutamate in certain brain regions that play an important role in social interaction and communication. Thus, it has been hypothesized that medications attenuating glutamate transmission may be used as treatment for some of the core symptoms of …


Genetic Predispositions To Opioid Addiction, Legislative Action And Implications To Pharmacy Practice, Adam N. Trimble, David N. Jones, Courtney L. Salvino, Michael M. Milks, David Kisor Oct 2019

Genetic Predispositions To Opioid Addiction, Legislative Action And Implications To Pharmacy Practice, Adam N. Trimble, David N. Jones, Courtney L. Salvino, Michael M. Milks, David Kisor

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Prescription pain-relievers can be powerfully effective agents in the treatment of moderate to severe pain; however, these drugs are also strongly associated with drug abuse and addiction. In the brain, opioid analgesics bind to various receptors in the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic pathways, which play a multifaceted interaction of role in reward. Several specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified as potential genetic factors that increase an individual's risk for addiction; however, confounding studies and lack of large trials prohibit definitive conclusions from being drawn. As a result of genetic testing, federal and state laws have been enacted to protect individuals …


Antidepressant Dosing In Major Depression: A Pharmacogenomic Approach, Morgan Homan, Haval Norman, Victoria Cho, Yousif Rojeab Oct 2019

Antidepressant Dosing In Major Depression: A Pharmacogenomic Approach, Morgan Homan, Haval Norman, Victoria Cho, Yousif Rojeab

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the most predominant mental disorder in the United States, with serious and costly health risks if not successfully managed. Pharmacotherapy is a standard option for MDD treatment, but patients often require extensive therapy adjustments to find a suitable regimen. Pharmacogenomics may enable greater precision in antidepressant therapy. Genotypic variations in CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 metabolic enzymes are reliable predictors of serum drug concentration, but the complex dose-response relationship of antidepressants prevents such variations from predicting therapy success. Additionally, ABCBl has been examined for its role in P-glycoprotein efflux of antidepressants in the brain, yet it is …


Latest Trends In The Heroin Epidemic And The Responsibility Of The Pharmacist In Controlling Heroin Abuse, Alexandra Herman, Cassandra Hacker, Emily Wells, Sabrina Hamman, Manoranjan D'Souza Oct 2019

Latest Trends In The Heroin Epidemic And The Responsibility Of The Pharmacist In Controlling Heroin Abuse, Alexandra Herman, Cassandra Hacker, Emily Wells, Sabrina Hamman, Manoranjan D'Souza

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Over the last few years, there has been an exponential increase in morbidity and mortality associated with heroin abuse. The current rise in heroin abuse and overdose is attributed to widespread use and abuse of prescription opioids, which can produce significant euphoric effects in humans. In fact, reports suggest that heroin abusers initially become addicted to prescription opioids but subsequently switch to heroin because it is cheaper and more easily available than prescription opioids. Over the years, the purity of heroin available for illicit use has been on the decline. Smugglers and heroin vendors have started mixing heroin with other …


Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome From Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use During Pregnancy, Elizabeth Kramer, Maria Patnella, Rachel Bulko, Allie Harrison, Hannah Lamb, Manoranjan D'Souza Oct 2019

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome From Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor Use During Pregnancy, Elizabeth Kramer, Maria Patnella, Rachel Bulko, Allie Harrison, Hannah Lamb, Manoranjan D'Souza

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a concern for infants born to mothers receiving treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) throughout the pregnancy. The risk of NAS associated with SSRI use during pregnancy varies with the specific SSRI that is used by the patient during pregnancy. Common symptoms of NAS include premature delivery, gastrointestinal disturbances, irritability, low birth weight, short length and lack of response to various stimuli. Neonates that present with these symptoms can be scored using either the Finnegan or Lipsitz scoring tools. Neonates experiencing NAS can be calmed or treated using nonpharmacologic methods such as swaddling, …


Pharmacogenetics: Cyps, Nat2 And 5-Htt Related To Antidepressants, Molly Kulp, Armond Cosiano, Kevin Krivanek, Amanda Lanker, Taylor Roberson, David F. Kisor Oct 2019

Pharmacogenetics: Cyps, Nat2 And 5-Htt Related To Antidepressants, Molly Kulp, Armond Cosiano, Kevin Krivanek, Amanda Lanker, Taylor Roberson, David F. Kisor

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Pharmacogenetics (PGt), the study of a gene's influence on patient response to a drug, shows strong potential for explaining issues with efficacy related to antidepressant medications. Each year, antidepressants are one of the most commonly prescribed medications due to the millions of Americans affected by depression. Importantly, it is recognized that there is wide interpatient variability in drug response to antidepressants caused by genetic mutations, which can alter the pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of various drugs used to treat depression. Proteins that are mainly involved in how patients respond to medications include receptors, drug-targeted proteins, drug transport proteins …


A Review Of The Guidelines And Treatment Options For Major Depressive Disorder In Adolescents, Stacy Henthorne, Joy Hoffman, Albert Bui, Sarah Kradel, Suzanne M. Lifer, Mary Ellen Hethcox Oct 2019

A Review Of The Guidelines And Treatment Options For Major Depressive Disorder In Adolescents, Stacy Henthorne, Joy Hoffman, Albert Bui, Sarah Kradel, Suzanne M. Lifer, Mary Ellen Hethcox

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Major depressive disorder (MOD) is a disease often underdiagnosed in adolescents. For adolescents in particular, MOD can have far-reaching implications on developmental, social and emotional functioning. Unfortunately, few guidelines detail consistent means by which to evaluate and treat these patients; significantly more information exists that solely pertains to the adult population. Governing bodies such as the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) and Resource for Advancing Children's Health (REACH) recommend that primary care physicians be diligent in their psychiatric analyses and follow-ups with young patients who may be experiencing MOD. Both psychotherapy and medications, either as monotherapy or …


Drugs Of Abuse: A Review Of Tramadol Abuse, Brittany Crowe, Tiffany Kneuss, Benjamin Finley, Kelsey Fink, Manoranjan S. D'Souza Oct 2019

Drugs Of Abuse: A Review Of Tramadol Abuse, Brittany Crowe, Tiffany Kneuss, Benjamin Finley, Kelsey Fink, Manoranjan S. D'Souza

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in America. Among the different prescription drugs being abused, analgesics are the most commonly abused group of drugs. In the last few years, there is increasing evidence of abuse of tramadol, which is an atypical, centrally acting opioid analgesic. The increasing abuse of tramadol has prompted regulatory authorities to strengthen the product labeling of tramadol with respect to its abuse potential. Furthermore, several states have added tramadol to their controlled substances list. In this article, we will review the pharmacology of tramadol and some of the preclinical and clinical studies that …


Antidepressant Therapy: A Review Of Current Treatment Options And A Glance At The Future, Brittany Dye, Stacy Henthorne, Molly Kulp, Tristan Maiers, Zachary Crawford, Erin Petersen Oct 2019

Antidepressant Therapy: A Review Of Current Treatment Options And A Glance At The Future, Brittany Dye, Stacy Henthorne, Molly Kulp, Tristan Maiers, Zachary Crawford, Erin Petersen

Pharmacy and Wellness Review

Depression and anxiety disorders are two of the most common mental illnesses experienced by people within the United States, affecting 6.7 percent of the adult population per year. This article will focus on one specific type of depression, major depressive disorder (MDD), characterized by two or more weeks of depressed mood and/or decreased interest in normally enjoyed activities. Depression complicates treatment of other disease state(s), making successful treatment of depression essential in the management of a patient's overall health. This review will evaluate the pathophysiology, antidepressant treatment, and new approaches to treatment, specifically vortioxetine, for MDD.