Main description:

This book contains the papers from invited lecturers as well as selected contributions presented at the 6th International Meeting on Clinical Pharmacology in Psychiatry (I.M.C.P.P.) held in Geneva, Switzerland, 5-7 June 1991. At this meeting the basic theme of the previous meetings in this series (Chicago 1979, Troms0 1980, Odense 1982, Bethesda 1985, Troms0 1988) was continued, namely, to bridge the gap between experimental development and clinical reality in psychopharmacology. After more than 25 years of intensive research in biological psychiatry, basic understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying major psychiatric diseases has advanced significantly but is still far from complete. Likewise, the hypotheses underlying the development of new psychotropics have been refined and produced a wide spectrum of novel, yet designed compounds. The crucial condition for all progress in this field is reliable, informative clinical testing of new compounds. It is our hope that this book, as a continuation of the earlier publications in this series, provides further evidence of the ongoing interaction between preclinical and clinical scientists, who only together can assure progress in this exciting area of research and clinical practice.

Contents:

Molecular Modeling of Neurotransmitter Receptors.- Structure-Function Analysis of the Three ?-Adrenergic Catecholamine Receptors.- Serotonin Receptor Subtypes.- Developmental Regulation of 5-HT2 and 5-HT1c Receptor Gene Expression in Rat Brain.- Relevance of 5-HT Autoreceptors for Psychotropic Drug Action.- Brain Serotonin Subsystem Complexity and Receptor Heterogeneity: Therapeutic Potential of Selective Serotonin Agonists and Antagonists.- Serotonin Receptors and Antipsychotic Drug Action.- The Third Dopamine Receptor (D3): New Perspectives in Therapeutics.- PET Examination of Central D2 Dopamine Receptor Occupancy in Relation to Extrapyramidal Syndromes in Patients Being Treated with Neuroleptic Drugs.- Dopaminergic and Serotonergic Aspects of Acute Extrapyramidal Syndromes.- Methods to Facilitate Early Exploratory Testing of Novel Psychopharmacologic Agents in Humans.- Neuroleptics and Diagnostic Heterogeneity in Relation to Drug Evaluation.- Residual and Negative Symptoms in Treatment with Neuroleptics.- Clinical Dosing of Neuroleptics.- Diagnostic Heterogeneity in Relation to Drug Evaluation: Antidepressants.- Dose-Effect Relationships for Tricyclic Antidepressants: The Basis for Rational Clinical Testing of New Antidepressants.- Dose-Effect and Concentration-Effect Relationships with New Antidepressants.- Therapeutic Potentials of Recently Introduced Antidepressants.- Role of Genetic Polymorphism in Psychopharmacology - An Update.- Psychotropic Drug Metabolism and Clinical Monitoring.- Disposition of the Neuroleptics Perphenazine, Zuclopenthixol, and Haloperidol Cosegregates with Polymorphic Debrisoquine Hydroxylation.- Phenotypes for Psychotropic Drug Metabolism in the Elderly.- Analysis of 935 Haloperidol Concentration Measurements Obtained During Routine Drug Monitoring of 134 Patients.- Power Analysis for Correlation of Plasma Level and Clinical Data.