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Brain Sciences
Special Issues
Drug Development for Schizophrenia
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Drug Development for Schizophrenia

A special issue of Brain Sciences (ISSN 2076-3425). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuropharmacology and Neuropathology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 150

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alessio Mosca

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Neurosciences, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, Università degli Studi G. D’Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Interests: multiple chemical sensitivity; anxiety; depression; new psychoactive substances; NPS; suicide; suicidality; synthetic cannabinoids; synthetic cathinones; new synthetic opioids; ketamine; esketamine; s-ketamine; obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD); substance use disorder; drug misuse; drug abuse; drug diversion; Psychosis; substance-induced-psychosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Schizophrenia is a severe and complex psychiatric disorder that affects millions of individuals worldwide. Despite significant progress in understanding its pathophysiology, the development of effective pharmacological treatments remains a critical challenge. Current antipsychotic medications primarily target dopaminergic pathways and often fail to address the full spectrum of symptoms, including cognitive deficits and negative symptoms, while also being associated with significant side effects.

This Special Issue of Brain Sciences aims to present cutting-edge research on drug development for schizophrenia. We invite authors to contribute original research articles and reviews covering a broad range of topics, including but not limited to the following: novel pharmacological targets, advancements in antipsychotic drug mechanisms, personalized medicine approaches, drug repurposing strategies, biomarkers for treatment response, neuroinflammatory and neurodevelopmental perspectives, innovative drug delivery systems, computational drug discovery, and the role of emerging compounds in schizophrenia treatment. Special emphasis will be placed on translational research that bridges the gap between basic neuroscience and clinical applications.

By gathering the latest advancements in drug development for schizophrenia, this Special Issue aims to provide insights that will enhance future therapeutic strategies and improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Alessio Mosca
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Brain Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antipsychotics
  • biomarkers
  • glutamatergic modulation
  • schizophrenia treatment
  • drug discovery

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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33 pages, 1053 KB  
Systematic Review
Clinical Management of Synthetic-Cannabinoid-Induced Psychosis: A Systematic Review of Treatment Strategies and Outcomes
by Alessio Mosca, Stefania Chiappini, Andrea Miuli, Clara Cavallotto, Mauro Pettorruso, Giovanni Martinotti and Fabrizio Schifano
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(9), 1006; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15091006 - 17 Sep 2025
Abstract
Background: Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs, commercially known as “Spice”) have become a leading cause of substance-induced psychosis worldwide. These compounds show strong associations not only with acute psychotic episodes but also, in a subset of patients, with persistent or relapsing psychotic disorders, [...] Read more.
Background: Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs, commercially known as “Spice”) have become a leading cause of substance-induced psychosis worldwide. These compounds show strong associations not only with acute psychotic episodes but also, in a subset of patients, with persistent or relapsing psychotic disorders, patterns that raise concern about progression to schizophrenia. Yet clinicians still lack clear, evidence-based guidance, and the optimal management of SCRA-induced psychosis remains inadequately defined. Methods: We carried out a systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science on 2 April 2025, identifying 35 primary studies that together describe roughly 4600 clinical presentations (≈77% male; mean age: 24.7 years). Results: Across diverse settings a convergent three-step pharmacological strategy emerged. First, rapid tranquillization with parenteral benzodiazepines consistently controlled severe agitation and autonomic instability. Second, when florid psychosis persisted beyond 30–60 min, clinicians introduced a second-generation antipsychotic—most commonly olanzapine, risperidone, or aripiprazole—often at doses exceeding those used for primary psychoses. Third, for the minority of refractory or relapse-prone cases, escalation to long-acting injectable formulations or low-dose clozapine achieved symptom control, even at plasma levels below those required in treatment-resistant schizophrenia. Although the evidence base consists largely of uncontrolled clinical descriptions, across studies, a recurrent clinical pattern was observed: initial benzodiazepines for agitation, followed by antipsychotics when psychosis persisted and escalation to clozapine or long-acting injectables in refractory cases. This approach appears to be associated with symptom improvement, although the certainty of the evidence is low to very low. Conclusions. Prospective, comparative studies are urgently needed to refine dosing, directly compare antipsychotic classes, and evaluate emerging cannabinoid-modulating interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Drug Development for Schizophrenia)
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