Drug-induced psychomimetic symptoms as a model for psychosis

Abstract

Pharmacological challenges with psychomimetic drugs may not fully represent the complexity of (chronic) schizophrenia, but constitute a useful model for psychosis and antipsychotic drug action. This thesis describes the use of THC and ketamine as models and explores different outcome measurements that can be used to quantify psychomimetic effects, in particular VAS-scales and fMRI. The phenomenological and pharmacological basis of psychomimetic challenge models were discussed. Well-controlled circumstances and repeated measurement of drug concentrations and effect greatly benefit the use of pharmacological challenges in drug development.