• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.343-349
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• 1994

A number of neurological syndromes(e.g. tardive dyskinesia) are developed as a consequence of chronic treatment with neuroleptics or antipsychotic agents. Despite the long and succesful use of phenothiazine derivatives and related agents in the treatment of certain states of mental disease, the mechanisms of these drugs are still poorly understood. One current hypothesis from extensive reviews is that these compounds might significantly interfere with the cyclic nucleotide system in brain (Levin and Weiss, 1977; Nowicki et al., 1991; Haley et al., 1992). Nitric oxide (NO), one of an interesting messenger molecule and aberrant transmitter, is believed to play a important role in biological functions of cyclic nucleotides in nervous system. It has been reported that calcium-dependent NO synthesis in endothelial cytosol is mediated by calmodulin which is supposed to be tightly related to pharmacological actions of antipsychotic agents. In the present study, the effect of several antipsychotic agents on the activity of NO synthesis and formation of cyclic GMP were investigated. These agents inhibited both the formation of $[^3H]L-citrulline$ and that of $[^3H]cyclic$ GMP by concentration-dependent manner, and their inhibiting patterns are so similar to that of calmodulin antagonist.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.157-173
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• 2003

The history of pediatric psychopharmacology is very short and the research on safety, efficacy and side effects is preliminary and long-term effect on growth and maturation is not well known yet. Clinical findings have shown that the responses to antidepressants, antipsychotics, CNS stimulants and steroids in children and adolescents might be different from adult populations. Based on these findings, this paper reviewed three issues, Firstly, in developmental pharmacokinetics. the author discussed the developmental factors affecting drug absorption, distribution, protein-binding, metabolism and excretion. Secondly, in developmental pharmacodynamics, developmental characteristics of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine receptors and their clinical implications were reviewed. Lastly, in pharamcogenetic part, the clinical utility of pharmacogenetics, pharmacokinetic aspects of pharmacogenetics, the pharmacodynamic aspects of pharmacogenetics, the association studies of dopamine-related alleles in neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders or Tourette’s disorders, pharmacogenetic studies dopamine-related alleles and the pharmacogenetic studies of serotonin-related alleles. Based on these preliminary research, future pharmacogenetic applications in childhood and adolescent psychiatry were also discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 1987

The effects of various drugs on muricide and hyperirritability induced by bilateral lesions of the nucleus accumbens septi (NAB) were investigated in comparison with those on aggression induced by midbrain raphe nuclei-lesioned rats (raphe) and olfactory bulbectomized rats (OB). Muricide in NAB, raphe and OB rats were markedly suppressed by atropine. Muricide in NAB and raphe rats were significantly suppressed by L-DOPA, L-5-HTP, but muricide in OB rats was scarcely suppressed by L-DOPA and L-5-HTP. Hyperirritability in NAB, raphe and OB rats were significantly reduced by L-DOPA and haloperidol but not suppressed by atropine. On the other hand, muricide in NAB rats was markedly suppressed by antidepressants, particularily, nomifensine, clomipramine and desipramine. Muricide in raphe rats was markedly inhibited by nomifensine and clomipramine but only slightly inhibited by desipramine. Muricide in OB rats was markedly suppressed by imipramine. Hyperirritability in NAB, raphe and OB rats were slightly suppressed by antidepressants. These results suggested that the pharmacological characteristics of aggression induced by NAB rats resembles that induced by raphe rats, but differs from that induced by OB rats. It is also suggested that employment of different types of experimentally induced muricide in rats can be useful for the evaluation of antidepressants.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.98-104
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• 1998

A 12-year-old girl with a 6 year history of childhood-onset schizophrenia required 2 hospitalizations and long-term clozapine trial due to inadequate responses to combinations of typical neuroleptics and traditional treatments of schizophrenic disorder. On admission, she had continuous auditory and visual hallucinations, persecutory delusion, emotional instability, regression of behaviors including temper tantrums as well as specific developmental delays in learning, language, and motor coordination. The clozapine trial significantly reduced most of the positive symptoms, and facilitated in successful discharge from the hospital. During the 4 year clozapine treatment, no significant adverse reactions were noted, and she returned to a structured school setting with minimal degrees of schizophrenic symptoms. From this clinical experience, we suggest that clozapine might be safe and effective in treating treatment-refractory schizophrenic children.