Studies Suggest New Brain Protein May Be Useful for Treating Schizophrenia, Insomnia, and Anxiety
Neuropeptide S (NPS) is a relatively new discovered protein in the brain that "promotes strong arousal, suppresses all phases of sleep and lessens anxiety in stressful or unfamiliar situations."
Dr. Rainer K. Reinscheid, assistant professor at UC Irvine, presented his findings on an animal model of how Neuropeptide S (NPS) can reduce both biochemical and behavioral symptoms of schizophrenia at the 2006 International Congress of Neuroendocrinology.
His study used rats treated with NPS and a control group, which were both given a drug that would produce/induce psychotic symptoms. The group treated with NPS prior to the psychotic inducing drug did not develop the behavioral or neurochemical symptoms associated with schizophrenia/psychosis.
"Although preliminary, our animal studies indicate the NPS receptor should be explored as a target for the development of novel antipsychotic drugs. Whether molecules activating the NPS system will prove to be better drugs than others used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia remains to be seen. We still have a very long way to go before proving it can alleviate symptoms in humans as we’ve seen it do in rodents," said Dr. Reinscheid.
Read Full Press Release:
Studies Suggest New Brain Protein May Be Useful for Treating Schizophrenia, Insomnia, and Anxiety. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (http://www.upmc.com/) June 22nd 2006.
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Neuropeptide S (NPS) may help in treating schizophrenia
Posted by szadmin at July 10, 2006 03:32 PM
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Schizophrenia Research Journal Articles
My daughter sufferring from schizophrenia who was on respirodone suddenly developped SLEEPLESSNESS. She could not just sleep inspite of very high doses of sleeping tablets.We sufferred for nearly 47 days when she could not sleep at all.
Then when she took CLOZAPINE even in small doses she started sleeping.It was a great relief for us.My friends daughter also sufferred from the same sleeplessness with ariprozole.Her psychiatrist will not prescribe CLOZAPINE as she was sufferring from OCD.On my suggestion the parents tried out CLOZAPINE AND got immeditate relief.She is now sleeping more than required!
Posted by: captainjohann at July 12, 2006 01:38 AM
captainjohann,
Its very common for people suffering from psychosis to have sleeplessness, and even lack of sleep can cause/increase psychotic symptoms.
Something that can happen with people taking antipsychotic medications and other drugs prescribed to patients with schizophrenia, is oversleeping.
Some of these drugs reduce symptoms but produce chronic fatigue (my brother is on several medications and probably sleeps 12-18 hrs a day, unless is he psychotic).
It's saddening that some patients can only find relief with such extremem measures.
But thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Michelle Roberts at July 12, 2006 01:32 PM
Dear Michelle,
I donot know which cocktail your brother is taking but sleeping for 12 hours is better than keeping awake 24 hours.We as carers have to settle for the lesser of the two evils.You are talking about chronic fatigue which is due to increased heart beat(100 per minute) continously which happenned in my daughtrs case also.But it gradually subsided.Heart gets affected also in some cases.Now my daughter went into "SILENT MODE" FOR NEARLY 20 DAYS.She will not talk to anyone but will do all her chores.Now she has come out of it slowly but not fully.What all one faces in this awesome discease.No wonder the 12 disciples has to ask Jesus in confidence Mathew 17/19 "why cannot we cure this discease inspite of the authority given to us?"
Posted by: captainjohann at July 28, 2006 02:09 AM
Captainjohann,
I agree its better to "oversleep" instead of having a psychotic episode and stay awake all day and night. Its much like Harm Reduction, do what we can to decrease the most harm, even though its not our final goal.
I haven't heard any diagnosis of increased heart rate, I just think all the medications he is on (which include antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and antianxiety meds) are exhausting him.
Posted by: Michelle Roberts at August 7, 2006 08:35 PM
My son is taking Abilify 30mg.once a day; Topamax 100 and also Topamax 25 mg (two times a day)Zyprexa a half a tab once a day. Also benztropine 0.5 mg two times a day.
He is diagnosed as bi-polar schizo effective.
Does this sound like a lot of medicine. He is having fears and finds it difficult to shop or do things by himself like he used to do when he was on lithium and respiredal
He has trouble sleeping and only gets about 6 hours on his best night.
Posted by: Pat Whitehouse at May 5, 2008 12:56 PM
I suffer from sleeplessness, it's like getting all settled in to sleep, and then it never happens. Even when I was extremely fatigued from work, I just couldn't get any deep sleep, and I'd wake up and would be so exhausted from the sleepless night that I couldn't even walk right. I 'd have to call in to work, and am uncertain of what will happen with work. I can't really tell work that I have a mental illness, so I have to make up excuses. I'm taking geodon, cymbalta, buspar, and I take sleeping pills but they don't work at all. I end up sleeping all day, instead of at night.
Posted by: Laura at May 9, 2008 08:03 PM
My daughter sufferring from schizophrenia who was on respirodone suddenly developped SLEEPLESSNESS. She could not just sleep inspite of very high doses of sleeping tablets.We sufferred for nearly 47 days when she could not sleep at all.
Then when she took CLOZAPINE even in small doses she started sleeping.It was a great relief for us.My friends daughter also sufferred from the same sleeplessness with ariprozole.Her psychiatrist will not prescribe CLOZAPINE as she was sufferring from OCD.On my suggestion the parents tried out CLOZAPINE AND got immeditate relief.She is now sleeping more than required!
Posted by: captainjohann at July 12, 2006 01:38 AM
captainjohann,
Its very common for people suffering from psychosis to have sleeplessness, and even lack of sleep can cause/increase psychotic symptoms.
Something that can happen with people taking antipsychotic medications and other drugs prescribed to patients with schizophrenia, is oversleeping.
Some of these drugs reduce symptoms but produce chronic fatigue (my brother is on several medications and probably sleeps 12-18 hrs a day, unless is he psychotic).
It's saddening that some patients can only find relief with such extremem measures.
But thank you for sharing.
Posted by: Michelle Roberts at July 12, 2006 01:32 PM
Dear Michelle,
I donot know which cocktail your brother is taking but sleeping for 12 hours is better than keeping awake 24 hours.We as carers have to settle for the lesser of the two evils.You are talking about chronic fatigue which is due to increased heart beat(100 per minute) continously which happenned in my daughtrs case also.But it gradually subsided.Heart gets affected also in some cases.Now my daughter went into "SILENT MODE" FOR NEARLY 20 DAYS.She will not talk to anyone but will do all her chores.Now she has come out of it slowly but not fully.What all one faces in this awesome discease.No wonder the 12 disciples has to ask Jesus in confidence Mathew 17/19 "why cannot we cure this discease inspite of the authority given to us?"
Posted by: captainjohann at July 28, 2006 02:09 AM
Captainjohann,
I agree its better to "oversleep" instead of having a psychotic episode and stay awake all day and night. Its much like Harm Reduction, do what we can to decrease the most harm, even though its not our final goal.
I haven't heard any diagnosis of increased heart rate, I just think all the medications he is on (which include antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, and antianxiety meds) are exhausting him.
Posted by: Michelle Roberts at August 7, 2006 08:35 PM
My son is taking Abilify 30mg.once a day; Topamax 100 and also Topamax 25 mg (two times a day)Zyprexa a half a tab once a day. Also benztropine 0.5 mg two times a day.
He is diagnosed as bi-polar schizo effective.
Does this sound like a lot of medicine. He is having fears and finds it difficult to shop or do things by himself like he used to do when he was on lithium and respiredal
He has trouble sleeping and only gets about 6 hours on his best night.
Posted by: Pat Whitehouse at May 5, 2008 12:56 PM
I suffer from sleeplessness, it's like getting all settled in to sleep, and then it never happens. Even when I was extremely fatigued from work, I just couldn't get any deep sleep, and I'd wake up and would be so exhausted from the sleepless night that I couldn't even walk right. I 'd have to call in to work, and am uncertain of what will happen with work. I can't really tell work that I have a mental illness, so I have to make up excuses. I'm taking geodon, cymbalta, buspar, and I take sleeping pills but they don't work at all. I end up sleeping all day, instead of at night.
Posted by: Laura at May 9, 2008 08:03 PM