Gustavo Alva, MD, DFAPA

Therapeutic drug monitoring clarifies adherence and plasma levels, while long-acting injectables and patches reduce variability and support patient-centered benefit-risk decisions.

Clinicians weigh oral, LAI and transdermal antipsychotics, urging early use, adherence focus, and side-effect education to optimize outcomes.

Expert explores fast-acting depression treatments, psilocybin trial pitfalls, and why stigma still limits buprenorphine access for opioid use disorder.

This episode, titled "Integrating Novel Mechanisms into Schizophrenia Treatment Practice," features panelist Mark Jankelow discussing the practical clinical considerations surrounding a novel muscarinic agent.

Explore 2024’s xanomeline–trospium: M1/M4 muscarinic therapy for schizophrenia, easing EPS and metabolic risks while raising GI concerns.

Expert shares ADHD medication sequencing tips and practical insomnia strategies, from stimulants to melatonin, for kids and adults.

Explore how the asenapine transdermal patch helps schizophrenia care with steadier dosing, fewer side effects, and new options beyond sublingual pills.

Clinicians empower schizophrenia patients with shared decisions and flexible treatment options—oral, long-acting injectable, or transdermal—to improve adherence, trust, and remission potential.

Clinicians weigh diagnosis clarity, side effects, and adherence when choosing antipsychotic formulations, often starting oral therapy then switching to long-acting injectables.

Explore today’s schizophrenia treatments, comparing first-, second-, and newer antipsychotics, clozapine’s role, and how side effects and adherence drive medication choices.

How social determinants and care gaps drive schizophrenia relapse—strategies to boost adherence, coordination, and follow-up after hospitalization.

Poorly managed schizophrenia fuels relapse, homelessness and caregiver strain—new data shows most costs are indirect, making prevention and LAIs pivotal.

Poor schizophrenia control drives relapse, homelessness and caregiver strain; data show $367B burden—why relapse prevention and LAIs matter.

Experts share strategies to boost schizophrenia adherence—family partnership, early engagement, and newer antipsychotics to improve long‑term function.

Psychiatrist Gus Alva highlights new depression therapies, neuromodulation, and why screening for bipolar disorder prevents antidepressant harm.

Psychiatrists share women who inspire them for Women's History Month.

Gus Alva, MD, shares the importance of proper recognition of stuttering among patients.

Conferences: the perfect networking opportunity.

Panelists discuss how increasing patient comfort with technology and advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) create opportunities for integrating prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) into schizophrenia care, while emphasizing the need for clinician education and preserving the human connection.

Panelists discuss patient hesitations toward prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) for schizophrenia. They highlight concerns about repetitive content and technology mistrust due to symptoms such as paranoia, the significant access barriers related to insurance coverage especially for vulnerable populations, and the critical need for improved clinician education to increase awareness and integration of PDTs into treatment plans.

Panelists discuss the flexible use of prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) in schizophrenia, comparing them with gym workouts that can be used regularly for maintenance or intensified during symptom flare-ups. They highlight PDTs’ role in addressing negative symptoms, supporting sustained improvement, and offering personalized, ongoing care alongside medication.

Panelists discuss the critical role of multimodal care in schizophrenia management, emphasizing that prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) complement but do not replace medications. They highlight the importance of patient education, shared decision-making, and integrating lifestyle habits to support motivation, symptom control, and long-term well-being.

Panelists discuss ongoing phase 3 studies evaluating prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) for schizophrenia, focusing on improving negative symptoms such as motivation and pleasure. They highlight how these tools—some incorporating augmented reality—show promise in enhancing self-esteem, reducing defeatist attitudes, and supporting personalized goal setting to boost social functioning and quality of life.

Panelists discuss how the CT-155 trial data highlight the importance of a strong digital therapeutic alliance in improving engagement and outcomes for patients with schizophrenia, particularly in addressing negative symptoms such as emotional flatness and social withdrawal that traditional treatments often miss.

Panelists discuss how prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) such as CT-155 target the challenging negative symptoms of schizophrenia by enhancing motivation, social engagement, and quality of life. They emphasize the role of these tools in overcoming social isolation and supporting patients’ pursuit of meaningful, fulfilling lives alongside traditional treatments.

Panelists discuss the integration of Rejoyn, a smartphone app combining cognitive behavioral therapy with Emotional Faces Memory Tasks, highlighting its efficacy in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms. They also emphasize the ethical importance of informing patients about prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) as accessible, adverse-effect–free adjuncts that enhance patient engagement and broaden mental health treatment options.

Panelists discuss the critical role of patient-reported outcomes in evaluating prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs), emphasizing how real-world usage patterns, symptom relief, and improvements in daily functioning inform clinical decisions and complement medication adherence, while sham-controlled studies help rigorously validate the true therapeutic effects of these digital interventions beyond placebo.

Panelists discuss various prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) in clinical use, highlighting their role in overcoming barriers such as limited therapist access by providing convenient, engaging, and tailored interventions—such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for insomnia and anxiety, cognitive rehabilitation, and on-demand behavioral support—that complement traditional treatments and improve patient adherence and outcomes.

Panelists discuss the limitations of traditional antipsychotics and the growing role of prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) as complementary tools that align with younger patients’ digital habits, enhance engagement between visits, and enable real-time data tracking to improve proactive, personalized schizophrenia care.

Panelists discuss how current schizophrenia care models often fall short due to systemic barriers—ranging from rural access issues to urban resource constraints—and emphasize the need for integrated, scalable approaches that combine pharmacologic treatment with consistent, accessible psychotherapy to address the full spectrum of patient needs.