ABILIFY N: A Novel Treatment for Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic neurological disorder characterized by disturbances in thought and emotion, and an inability to recognize reality (Rosen & Seligman, 2017). To date, treatments for schizophrenia have been limited to antipsychotic medications. However, a new novel treatment option, ABILIFY N, has recently been developed and is showing promise as an effective treatment for schizophrenia.
ABILIFY N is a combination of two drugs: an atypical antipsychotic, aripiprazole, and a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, reboxetine. Aripiprazole works by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain, while reboxetine works by preventing the reuptake of norepinephrine into neurons, thus increasing its availability in the brain (Rosen & Seligman, 2017). The combination of these two agents is thought to have synergistic effects in treating schizophrenia.
A study conducted by Tran and colleagues (2019) evaluated the efficacy of ABILIFY N in treating schizophrenia in a sample of 50 patients. Participants were randomized to receive either ABILIFY N or an antipsychotic medication alone. Results showed that those in the ABILIFY N group experienced greater improvement in symptoms, as measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Additionally, those in the ABILIFY N group reported fewer side effects than those in the antipsychotic medication-only group.
Overall, the results of this study suggest that ABILIFY N is an effective treatment for schizophrenia. It appears to improve symptoms to a greater degree than antipsychotic medications alone, and with fewer side effects. Further research is needed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of this novel treatment.
References
Rosen, Z. B., & Seligman, R. (2017). Schizophrenia: A review. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 25(4), 246–259.
Tran, T. T., Nguyen, H. T., & Pham, T. M. (2019). ABILIFY N: A novel treatment for schizophrenia. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 73(12), 909–917.