Suicide is one of the most important causes of death in modern societies. To develop more effective preventive measures, we have to be aware of and learn more about its neurobiological foundations. In recent years, the tools of modern neurosciences have increasingly been utilized to characterize the pathophysiology of complex human behaviors such as suicide. To improve suicide risk assessment and suicide prevention, a better understanding of its pathophysiology is crucial. This includes re...

In recent years, there have been major developments in the fields of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, with the potential to make drug treatments in psychiatric medicine more effective. However, improvements in drug efficacy and tolerability, as well as finding the optimal dosage, can only be realized if in vivo mechanisms of drug action and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) processes (pharmacokinetics) of psychopharmacological agents are better understood. In thi...

The psychotic symptoms of up to 30% of schizophrenic patients do not respond adequately to treatment with antipsychotic drugs, other than clozapine. These refractory patients are generally among the most disabled of all people with schizophrenia and require special assessment and treatment. This volume presents the latest research and recommendations on the definition, causes and therapy of treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). Methods for identification and optimal management of TRS ar...

This publication compiles data generated by proteomics and metabolomics about psychiatric disorders. Leading researchers in these fields review the basic principles of proteomics and metabolomics and propose the new directions to be followed in molecular psychiatry. The chapters divided into two sections - Schizophrenia/Psychotic Disorders and Mood Disorders - deal with findings in diverse tissues from human and preclinical models in order to unravel the biology and biochemistry behind the...