Heidi Anne Duerr, MPH

New research shows it’s not “all in your head”-it’s also in your gut.

ADHD is on the rise according to a new report from the CDC, and most youngsters with the diagnosis are receiving treatment for the disorder. But the report raises a number of clinical implications . . .

A newly published qualitative literature review found stimulants may provide neuroprotective effects for children with ADHD.

This member of the DSM-5 Work Group for Psychotic Disorders describes the 8 dimensions used to define the presentation of psychosis-the biggest and most clinically important of the changes in the schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders section.

You’ve come a long way, baby. But maybe not long enough, according to Dr Rajiv Tandon, who shared the evolution of schizophrenia diagnosis and highlighted the current status for attendees at the US Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress.

Can drugs be categorized as good (eg, medicinal), bad (eg, recreational with deleterious side effects and addiction issues), or is there a middle ground? That was the underlying theme in a lecture at PsychCongress, “Perils and Promise of Psychoactive Drugs: A Focus on Harm Reduction Psychiatry.”

Lack of communication is often a key factor in mass murder, according Phillip Resnick, MD. Although HIPAA is important, the safety of the individual and the public should outweigh privacy issues, and “risk to human life always trumps confidentiality.”

Most people look forward to their morning jolt from coffee, but could that cup of Joe be doing more than keeping us alert? According to researchers from Harvard University, java may indeed have another benefit-that of reducing suicide risk.

Adolescents with psychopathology who also experience psychotic symptoms have a nearly 70-fold increased odds of acute suicide attempts, according to new research.

From chocoholics and beyond, references to food cravings have been found in pop culture since the dawn of time. Here, new research sheds light on the neurobiology of food addiction.

The human brain needs to be nourished. To function properly, it requires omega-3 fatty acids, folate, fiber, choline, iron, zinc, and vitamins B12, D, and E among other nutrients.

A panel of experts at the APA Annual Meeting discussed how changes in DSM-5 may affect clinical practice. Highlights here.

A clinician’s notes and clinical records should document and defend treatment decisions, and are the best defense in court. Here: 3 key things every patient record should include.

Has the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity had any real impact on your ability to provide care to patients, or are you experiencing the shells and mortars of paperwork and denials? And will the average patient ever really benefit from the laws, or were they just passed to make the country feel better about the state of psychiatric care in the US?

In a new study, researchers found an absolute risk of 4.42% of valproate use during pregnancy with autism spectrum disorder and an absolute risk of 2.50% for childhood autism.

Plaintiffs in this lawsuit claim that CPT coding policy has resulted in decreased reimbursement for psychiatrists, who will now receive 20% less for evaluation and management services than what Anthem pays other physicians.

President Barack Obama proposed a new research initiative designed to further study and better understand, treat, prevent, and cure brain disorders including Alzheimer disease, traumatic brain injury, autism, posttraumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia.

Changes will mean patients will only be covered for psychiatrists’ services that include medical evaluation and management; CPT coding will not allow for coverage of psychotherapy as a separate and equal category for payment.

Preliminary evidence shows that dialectical behavior therapy may be beneficial in treating patients with bipolar disorder.

Astrocytic signaling to adenosine receptors results in the robust reduction of depressive-like behaviors associated with sleep deprivation.

Medical colleagues routinely monitor patients with sphygmomanometers, peak flow meters, and glucometers. Similarly, psychiatrists can and should incorporate the use of screening tools to help with diagnosis and treatment management.

Spice, Bath Salts, and Salvia are emerging drugs of abuse, with patients increasingly turning to these agents. Since their legal status varies and they can be difficult to detect on standard drug tests, their popularity may be increasing.

Treating bipolar disorder in women has unique concerns. For example, contraceptive use can decrease the level of mood stabilizers and alter their effectiveness.

The new annual suicide rate of 12.0 per 100,000 people translates into 100.8 suicides per day and 1 suicide every 14.3 minutes. Here, you will find tools and tips to help identify patients at risk.

Researchers have found evidence that the placebo effect is not all “in your mind.” This study, recently published in Science, suggests that the spinal column-specifically, the dorsal horn-may be involved in blocking pain after placebo has been administered. Eippert and colleagues1 examined pain reactions in 13 young, healthy men (21 to 30 years old) after applying 2 types of cream on their forearms. The participants were told that one cream was a highly effective analgesic (“lidocaine”) and the other was a control cream. In reality, both creams were identical and pharmacologically inactive; the one labeled lidocaine was used to measure the placebo response.