Novel psychoactive substances (NPS) use in severe mental illness (SMI) patients: Potential changes in the phenomenology of psychiatric diseases
Human Psychopharmacology Clinical and Experimental May 1, 2017 Giuseppe Bersani, Elisabeth Prevete 15 citations
The clinical effects of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) in patients with severe mental illness (SMI) are poorly understood. This review found that NPS use in this population is probably underestimated, with only 14 studies identified, most of which are case reports. The main reported outcome is acute exacerbation of preexisting psychosis, with paranoid, mood, and aggression symptoms occurring more frequently. The authors conclude that NPS use could modify clinical features of SMI but that these findings cannot be generalized, and more evidence is needed to establish causal connections between NPS use and illness course, symptom type, and treatment outcomes.