BBB webinar: Silje Skrede

Silje Skrede
Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, and Section of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen

Antipsychotic drugs, used to treat debilitating psychiatric disorders, are associated with metabolic adverse effects that could contribute to reduced life expectancy in patients receiving such treatment. Complicating the choice of therapy at the single-patient level, data also suggest that antipsychotics with higher risk of metabolic adverse effects are the most clinically efficacious agents. Recently, however, a non-industry sponsored clinical trial performed in Bergen indicated that the dysmetabolic profiles of three common antipsychotic drugs may be less diverging than previously thought.

The seminar will focus on my work on characterizing molecular mechanisms thought to mediate metabolic adverse effects, mostly in rodent models. The studies have also revealed that many patients fail to receive secondary prophylaxis. Has the characterization of mechanistic underpinnings brought us closer to clinically valuable strategies for prevention? Could results from naturalistic clinical trials indicate that results from rodent models may be more relevant than previously thought?

Chairperson: Silke Appel, Department of Clinical Science