Management and Treatment of the Major Mental Disorders

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2014) | Viewed by 39650

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
Interests: animal models; brain imaging; brain morphology; cognition; dual diagnosis; evaluation research; HIV/AIDS, medication effects; neuropsychiatry/neuropsychology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In any given year, over 1 in 20 adults will suffer from a diagnosable, significant mental illness. The socio-economic burden of severe mental disorders, particularly of psychotic and mood disorders, presents significant challenges to health care providers worldwide. Often, severe mental illnesses are chronic in nature, with periods of waxing and waning. Indeed, many patients struggle to receive accessible and effective treatments. Appropriate treatment and management of severe mental illnesses is paramount to both the mental and physical health of patients. Without such treatment, the opportunity to regain normal social functioning, so as to return to school or work, and to engage in relationships, is greatly curtailed.

A diversity of treatment and management options are available, including psychotropic medications and mood stabilizers, psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive remediation, behavioral therapy), occupational therapy, recreational and physical therapies, family therapy, genetic counseling, and periods of clinical interventions or hospitalization when symptoms become overwhelming. The vast majority of mental health patients are best served by a combination of two or more treatments and interventions. In this special issue of Behavioral Sciences, various treatment and management options will be explored, and their efficacy will be discussed. I invite you to submit papers that discuss varying types of interventions for psychotic and mood disorders, the efficacy of such interventions, and the challenges associated with the treatment and management of severe mental illnesses. Both primary data and reviews are welcomed.

Donna J. Lang,
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • severe mental illness
  • psychotropic medications
  • behavioral therapy
  • cognitive therapy
  • clinical intervention
  • treatment efficacy in mental illness
  • genetic counseling and mental illness

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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55 KiB  
Article
Merging Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions in Schizophrenia
by Tania Lecomte, Marc Corbière, Stéphanie Simard and Claude Leclerc
Behav. Sci. 2014, 4(4), 437-447; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs4040437 - 6 Nov 2014
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 14222
Abstract
Psychosocial interventions are an essential part of the treatment for people with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia. The criteria regarding what makes an intervention “evidence-based” along with a current list of evidence-based interventions are presented. Although many evidence-based interventions exist, implementation studies [...] Read more.
Psychosocial interventions are an essential part of the treatment for people with severe mental illness such as schizophrenia. The criteria regarding what makes an intervention “evidence-based” along with a current list of evidence-based interventions are presented. Although many evidence-based interventions exist, implementation studies reveal that few, if any, are ever implemented in a given setting. Various theories and approaches have been developed to better understand and overcome implementation obstacles. Among these, merging two evidence-based interventions, or offering an evidence-based intervention within an evidence-based service, are increasingly being reported and studied in the literature. Five such merges are presented, along with their empirical support: cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with skills training; CBT and family psychoeducation; supported employment (SE) and skills training; SE and cognitive remediation; and SE and CBT. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management and Treatment of the Major Mental Disorders)
236 KiB  
Communication
Neurotensin Agonist Attenuates Nicotine Potentiation to Cocaine Sensitization
by Paul Fredrickson, Mona Boules, Bethany Stennett and Elliott Richelson
Behav. Sci. 2014, 4(1), 42-52; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs4010042 - 22 Jan 2014
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 7027
Abstract
Tobacco usage typically precedes illicit drug use in adolescent and young adult populations. Several animal studies suggest nicotine increases the risk for subsequent cocaine abuse, and may be a negative prognostic factor for treatment of cocaine addiction; i.e., a “gateway drug”. Neurotensin [...] Read more.
Tobacco usage typically precedes illicit drug use in adolescent and young adult populations. Several animal studies suggest nicotine increases the risk for subsequent cocaine abuse, and may be a negative prognostic factor for treatment of cocaine addiction; i.e., a “gateway drug”. Neurotensin (NT) is a 13-amino acid neuropeptide that modulates dopamine, acetylcholine, glutamate, and GABA neurotransmission in brain reward pathways. NT69L, a NT(8-13) analog, blocks behavioral sensitization (an animal model for psychostimulant addiction) to nicotine, and nicotine self-administration in rats. The present study tested the effect of NT69L on the potentiating effects of nicotine on cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization. Male Wistar rats were injected daily for seven days with nicotine or saline (control) followed by four daily injections of cocaine. NT69L was administered 30 min prior to the last cocaine injection. Behavior was recorded with the use of activity chambers. Subchronic administration of nicotine enhanced cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in Wistar rats, consistent with an hypothesized gateway effect. These behavioral effects of cocaine were attenuated by pretreatment with NT69L. The effect of the neurotensin agonist on cocaine sensitization in the nicotine treated group indicated a possible therapeutic effect for cocaine addiction, even in the presence of enhanced behavioral sensitization induced by nicotine. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management and Treatment of the Major Mental Disorders)
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Review

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243 KiB  
Review
Working Memory Training in Schizophrenia and Healthy Populations
by Linette Lawlor-Savage and Vina M. Goghari
Behav. Sci. 2014, 4(3), 301-319; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs4030301 - 3 Sep 2014
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 10076
Abstract
Cognitive deficits are consistently demonstrated in individuals with schizophrenia. Cognitive training involves structured exercises prescribed and undertaken with the intention of enhancing cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, and problem solving. Thus, cognitive training represents a potentially promising intervention for enhancing cognitive abilities [...] Read more.
Cognitive deficits are consistently demonstrated in individuals with schizophrenia. Cognitive training involves structured exercises prescribed and undertaken with the intention of enhancing cognitive abilities such as attention, memory, and problem solving. Thus, cognitive training represents a potentially promising intervention for enhancing cognitive abilities in schizophrenia. However, cognitive training programs are numerous and heterogeneous, hence, the generalizability of training related outcomes can be challenging to assess. This article will provide a brief overview of current literature on cognitive training and explore how knowledge of working memory training in healthy populations can potentially be applied to enhance cognitive functioning of individuals with schizophrenia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management and Treatment of the Major Mental Disorders)
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273 KiB  
Review
Elucidating the Role of Neurotensin in the Pathophysiology and Management of Major Mental Disorders
by Mona M Boules, Paul Fredrickson, Amber M Muehlmann and Elliott Richelson
Behav. Sci. 2014, 4(2), 125-153; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs4020125 - 13 Jun 2014
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 7783
Abstract
Neurotensin (NT) is a neuropeptide that is closely associated with, and is thought to modulate, dopaminergic and other neurotransmitter systems involved in the pathophysiology of various mental disorders. This review outlines data implicating NT in the pathophysiology and management of major mental disorders [...] Read more.
Neurotensin (NT) is a neuropeptide that is closely associated with, and is thought to modulate, dopaminergic and other neurotransmitter systems involved in the pathophysiology of various mental disorders. This review outlines data implicating NT in the pathophysiology and management of major mental disorders such as schizophrenia, drug addiction, and autism. The data suggest that NT receptor analogs have the potential to be used as novel therapeutic agents acting through modulation of neurotransmitter systems dys-regulated in these disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Management and Treatment of the Major Mental Disorders)
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