(Jan. 31, 2018) Research Roundup is a monthly service of the Office of Research and Public Affairs. Each edition describes a striking new data point about serious mental illness and summarizes recently published research reports or developments.
DATAPOINT of the Month
- 27 states in the United States deliver inpatient mental health care for prisoners exclusively behind bars.
More than half of states provide inpatient mental health care for inmates in prison solely in the prison itself, according to a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 14 states provide inpatient psychiatric care both behind bars as well as off-site, while only 3 states provide such care exclusively outside of the prison gates or under jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections.
RESEARCH of the Month
- Long-acting injectable antipsychotics reduce mortality risk in schizophrenia patients
The long-acting injectable formulation of antipsychotics reduces mortality risk by 33% compared to oral medicines, according to new research. Patients with schizophrenia have a 20-25 year lower life expectancy compared to the general population. This is due in part to the increased risk of other co-morbid physical health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, that result from lack of treatment and self-care.
New research to be published in Schizophrenia Research suggests that the long-acting injectable formulation of antipsychotics can reduce mortality risk by up to one-third compared to the equivalent oral medications because of a higher adherence to the medication. The authors found that mortality is over 40% lower during time periods when patients are taking their antipsychotics than when they do not, and patients on the long-acting injectable formulation have higher rates of being on the medication than those on the oral medicines.
Taipale, H. (2017, December). Antipsychotics and mortality in a nationwide cohort of 29,823 patients with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research. - One step closer to reducing side effects from antipsychotic drugs
Thanks to researchers from the University of North Carolina, we are one step closer to being able to reduce side-effects from the antipsychotic drug risperidone. Published in the prestigious science journal Nature, Sheng Wang and colleagues determined the molecular structure of the dopamine receptor in which risperidone acts. The activation of the dopamine system is one cause of the side-effects of antipsychotic medications, and this increased knowledge of the mechanism of action brings us one step closer to reducing such negative effects.
Wang, S. et al. (2018, January). "Structure of the D2 dopamine receptor bound to the atypical antipsychotic drug risperidone." Nature. - Measuring blood plasma for schizophrenia disease management
Measuring blood plasma levels of antipsychotics in patients with schizophrenia may help improve their treatment, according to new research. Zachary Predmore and colleagues from John Hopkins University wrote that as many as 40% of patients with schizophrenia do not adhere to medications as prescribed, which often leads to negative health outcomes. The authors state that increased use of a diagnostic tool that measures blood plasma of patients for antipsychotic levels can help improve the management of the disease. Information from this tool can guide physicians in their decision-making to improve patient outcomes, according to the authors.
Predmore, S. et al. (2017, December). "Potential benefits to patients and payers from increased measurement of antipsychotic plasma levels in the management of schizophrenia." Psychiatric Services.
Elizabeth Sinclair
Research Associate
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Research Weekly is a summary published as a public service of the Treatment Advocacy Center and does not necessarily reflect the findings or positions of the organization or its staff. Full access to research summarized may require a fee or paid subscription to the publications.
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