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Uliana DL, Lisboa JRF, Gomes FV, Grace AA. The excitatory-inhibitory balance as a target for the development of novel drugs to treat schizophrenia. Biochem Pharmacol 2024:116298. [PMID: 38782077 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The intricate balance between excitation and inhibition (E/I) in the brain plays a crucial role in normative information processing. Dysfunctions in the E/I balance have been implicated in various psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia (SCZ). In particular, abnormalities in GABAergic signaling, specifically in parvalbumin (PV)-containing interneurons, have been consistently observed in SCZ pathophysiology. PV interneuron function is vital for maintaining an ideal E/I balance, and alterations in PV interneuron-mediated inhibition contribute to circuit deficits observed in SCZ, including hippocampus hyperactivity and midbrain dopamine system overdrive. While current antipsychotic medications primarily target D2 dopamine receptors and are effective primarily in treating positive symptoms, novel therapeutic strategies aiming to restore the E/I balance could potentially mitigate not only positive symptoms but also negative symptoms and cognitive deficits. This could involve, for instance, increasing the inhibitory drive onto excitatory neurons or decreasing the putative enhanced pyramidal neuron activity due to functional loss of PV interneurons. Compounds targeting the glycine site at glutamate NMDA receptors and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors on PV interneurons that can increase PV interneuron drive, as well as drugs that increase the postsynaptic action of GABA, such as positive allosteric modulators of α5-GABA-A receptors, and decrease glutamatergic output, such as mGluR2/3 agonists, represent promising approaches. Preventive strategies aiming at E/I balance also represent a path to reduce the risk of transitioning to SCZ in high-risk individuals. Therefore, compounds with novel mechanisms targeting E/I balance provide optimism for more effective and tailored interventions in the management of SCZ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela L Uliana
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Joao Roberto F Lisboa
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Felipe V Gomes
- Department of Pharmacology, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Livingston NR, De Micheli A, McCutcheon RA, Butler E, Hamdan M, Grace AA, McGuire P, Egerton A, Fusar-Poli P, Modinos G. Effects of Benzodiazepine Exposure on Real-World Clinical Outcomes in Individuals at Clinical High Risk for Psychosis. Schizophr Bull 2024:sbae036. [PMID: 38567823 DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbae036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS Animal models indicate GABAergic dysfunction in the development of psychosis, and that benzodiazepine (BDZ) exposure can prevent the emergence of psychosis-relevant phenotypes. However, whether BDZ exposure influences real-world clinical outcomes in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (CHR-P) is unknown. STUDY DESIGN This observational cohort study used electronic health record data from CHR-P individuals to investigate whether BDZ exposure (including hypnotics, eg, zopiclone) reduces the risk of developing psychosis and adverse clinical outcomes. Cox proportional-hazards models were employed in both the whole-unmatched sample, and a propensity score matched (PSM) subsample. STUDY RESULTS 567 CHR-P individuals (306 male, mean[±SD] age = 22.3[±4.9] years) were included after data cleaning. The BDZ-exposed (n = 105) and BDZ-unexposed (n = 462) groups differed on several demographic and clinical characteristics, including psychotic symptom severity. In the whole-unmatched sample, BDZ exposure was associated with increased risk of transition to psychosis (HR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.03-2.52; P = .037), psychiatric hospital admission (HR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.13-3.29; P = .017), home visit (HR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.18-2.28; P = .004), and Accident and Emergency department attendance (HR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.31-2.72; P < .001). However, after controlling for confounding-by-indication through PSM, BDZ exposure did not modulate the risk of any outcomes (all P > .05). In an analysis restricted to antipsychotic-naïve individuals, BDZ exposure reduced the risk of transition to psychosis numerically, although this was not statistically significant (HR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.32-1.08; P = .089). CONCLUSIONS BDZ exposure in CHR-P individuals was not associated with a reduction in the risk of psychosis transition or adverse clinical outcomes. Results in the whole-unmatched sample suggest BDZ prescription may be more likely in CHR-P individuals with higher symptom severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R Livingston
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea De Micheli
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Outreach And Support in South London (OASIS) Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Robert A McCutcheon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Emma Butler
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Marwa Hamdan
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Anthony A Grace
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Philip McGuire
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), Oxford, UK
| | - Alice Egerton
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Early Psychosis: Interventions & Clinical-detection (EPIC) Lab, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Outreach And Support in South London (OASIS) Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- National Institute of Health Research (NIHR), Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Gemma Modinos
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
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Livingston NR, De Micheli A, McCutcheon R, Butler E, Hamdan M, Grace AA, McGuire P, Egerton A, Fusar-Poli P, Modinos G. Effects of Benzodiazepine Exposure on Real-World Clinical Outcomes in Individuals at Clinical High-Risk for Psychosis. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.08.15.23294108. [PMID: 37645948 PMCID: PMC10462200 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.15.23294108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Background Animal models indicate GABAergic dysfunction in the development of psychosis, and that benzodiazepine (BDZ) exposure can prevent the emergence of psychosis-relevant phenotypes. However, whether BDZ exposure influences the risk of psychosis in humans is unknown. Methods This observational-cohort study used electronic health record data from 818 individuals at clinical high-risk for psychosis (CHR-P) to investigate whether BDZ exposure (including hypnotics e.g., zopiclone) reduces the risk of developing psychosis and adverse clinical outcomes. Cox proportional-hazards models were employed in both the whole-unmatched sample, and a propensity score matched (PSM) subsample. Results 567 CHR-P individuals were included after data cleaning (105 BDZ-exposed, 462 BDZ-unexposed). 306 (54%) individuals were male, and the mean age was 22.3 years (SD 4.9). The BDZ-exposed and BDZ-unexposed groups differed on several demographic and clinical characteristics, including psychotic symptom severity. In the whole-unmatched sample, BDZ exposure was associated with increased risk of transition to psychosis (HR=1.61; 95%CI:1.03-2.52; P=0.037), psychiatric hospital admission (HR=1.93; 95%CI:1.13-3.29; P=0.017), home visit (HR=1.64; 95%CI:1.18-2.28; P=0.004), and A&E attendance (HR=1.88; 95%CI:1.31-2.72; P<0.001). However, after controlling for confounding-by-indication through PSM, BDZ exposure did not modulate the risk of any outcomes (all P>0.05). In analysis restricted to antipsychotic-naïve individuals, BDZ exposure reduced the risk of transition to psychosis at trend-level (HR=0.59; 95%CI:0.32-1.08; P=0.089). Conclusions BDZ exposure in CHR-P individuals was not associated with a reduction in the risk of psychosis transition or other adverse clinical outcomes. Results in the whole-unmatched sample suggest BDZ prescription may be more likely in CHR-P individuals with higher symptom severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R. Livingston
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea De Micheli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- OASIS Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Robert McCutcheon
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Butler
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Marwa Hamdan
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Anthony A. Grace
- Departments of Neuroscience, Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Philip McGuire
- Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Alice Egerton
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
| | - Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- OASIS Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Department of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Gemma Modinos
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK
- MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders, King’s College London, London, UK
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Abstract
PURPOSE Little is known about the impact of different psychotropic drugs on acute readmission risk, when used concomitantly in a real-life setting. We aimed to investigate the association between acute readmission risk and use of antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS A cohort study included all patients diagnosed with schizophrenia admitted to a psychiatric acute unit at Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway, during a 10-year period (N = 663). Patients were followed from discharge until first readmission or censoring. Cox multiple regression analyses were conducted using antipsychotic drugs, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines as time-dependent variables, and periods of use and nonuse were compared within individual patients. Adjustments were made for sex, age at index admission, and excessive use of alcohol and illicit substances. RESULTS A total of 410 patients (61.8%) were readmitted during follow-up, and the mean and median times in days to readmission were 709 and 575, respectively. Compared with nonuse, the use of antipsychotic drugs was associated with reduced risk of readmission (adjusted hazards ratio, 0.20; P < 0.01; confidence interval, 0.16-0.24), and the use of benzodiazepines was associated with increased risk of readmission (adjusted hazards ratio, 1.51; P < 0.01; confidence interval, 1.13-2.02). However, no relation to readmission risk was found for the use of antidepressants and mood stabilizers. CONCLUSIONS We found that use of benzodiazepines and antipsychotic drugs are inversely associated with acute readmission risk in schizophrenia.
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Huhtaniska S, Korkala I, Heikka T, Björnholm L, Lehtiniemi H, Hulkko AP, Moilanen J, Tohka J, Manjón J, Coupé P, Kiviniemi V, Isohanni M, Koponen H, Murray GK, Miettunen J, Jääskeläinen E. Antipsychotic and benzodiazepine use and brain morphology in schizophrenia and affective psychoses - Systematic reviews and birth cohort study. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2018; 281:43-52. [PMID: 30219591 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this paper was to investigate differences in brain structure volumes between schizophrenia and affective psychoses, and whether cumulative lifetime antipsychotic or benzodiazepine doses relate to brain morphology in these groups. We conducted two systematic reviews on the topic and investigated 44 schizophrenia cases and 19 with affective psychoses from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. The association between lifetime antipsychotic and benzodiazepine dose and brain MRI scans at the age of 43 was investigated using linear regression. Intracranial volume, sex, illness severity, and antipsychotic/benzodiazepine doses were used as covariates. There were no differences between the groups in brain structure volumes. In schizophrenia, after adjusting for benzodiazepine dose and symptoms, a negative association between lifetime antipsychotic dose and the nucleus accumbens volume remained. In affective psychoses, higher lifetime benzodiazepine dose associated with larger volumes of total gray matter and hippocampal volume after controlling for antipsychotic use and symptoms. It seems that in addition to antipsychotics, the severity of symptoms and benzodiazepine dose are also associated with brain structure volumes. These results suggest, that benzodiazepine effects should also be investigated also independently and not only as a confounder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanna Huhtaniska
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Finland.
| | - Iikka Korkala
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Tuomas Heikka
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Lassi Björnholm
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Heli Lehtiniemi
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Anja P Hulkko
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Jani Moilanen
- Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Jussi Tohka
- AI Virtanen Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Finland
| | - José Manjón
- Instituto de Aplicaciones de las Tecnologías de la Información y de las Comunicaciones Avanzadas (ITACA), Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain
| | - Pierrick Coupé
- Laboratoire Bordelais de Recherche en Informatique, Unité Mixte de Recherche CNRS (UMR 5800), PICTURA Research Group, France
| | - Vesa Kiviniemi
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Oulu University Hospital, Finland
| | - Matti Isohanni
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Research Unit of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Finland
| | - Hannu Koponen
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki University Hospital, Psychiatry, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Graham K Murray
- University of Cambridge, Department of Psychiatry, United Kingdom; University of Cambridge, Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute, United Kingdom
| | - Jouko Miettunen
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Erika Jääskeläinen
- Center for Life Course Health Research, University of Oulu, Finland; Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Psychiatry, Oulu University Hospital, Finland
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