Psychopharmacology

Psychiatric Times featured a wide variety of psychiatric issues in this year’s CMEs.

Caplyta is now FDA-approved for depressive episodes from bipolar I and II.

The importance of specifically defining a drug’s mechanism as partial agonism or antagonism/partial agonism for better clinical outcomes.

Some psychiatric medications that can trigger Torsades de Pointes (TdP), a potentially fatal polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that arises during abnormal ventricular repolarization. Are you aware of the risk factors that increase risk of TdP?

Microdosing at “Tranquillum House,” and its implications for real-world experimental psychopharmacology.

Results suggest that psilocybin therapy may prove to be helpful in improving quality of life for patients with cancer.

What is the real-world clinical efficacy of SSRIs and other antidepressant medications compared to RCT placebos?

New Drug Application to be submitted for MDD in late 2022, with separate filing for PPD planned for early 2023. 

The history of medicine is a never-ending work in progress. What is the next chapter in the psychiatry and genetics story?

Sheldon Preskorn, MD, shares insights into drug mechanisms and delivery to better help patients with major depressive disorder.

Bringing science to the practice of psychiatry has been the personal goal of Sheldon H. Preskorn, MD—the Educator of the Year.

Modifications to the Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy go into effect November 15, 2021. Are you up to date?

At the Annual Psychiatric Times World CME Conference, an all-star lineup of presenters will share their latest research. Check out this preview of the full agenda.

A hypnotic might be a good option for augmenting depression treatment, but which hypnotic has the best evidence for efficacy?

After a string of disappointing results, mirtazapine gets another look in a recent study.

Why does the prospect of getting back to normal after the pandemic disturb some patients? And what can be done to overcome these fears?

A rare robust finding from a study on bipolar depression.

Travelling the middle road between skepticism and scientism in psychiatric research and treatment.

Patients with intellectual or developmental disabilities need psychiatrists to learn some special skills.

Sometimes the war represented more of a hiatus in ongoing research, which was later resumed. In other cases, it led to displacement or imprisonment.

The latest trial results for MDMA-assisted therapy are in—and they are eye-catching.

Higher lithium levels are associated with a greater risk of long-term kidney harm and more frequent depressive episodes. This bipolar update reviews ways to minimize renal side effects.

What do we know about TD? What is on the horizon? Take the quiz to learn more.

Because schizophrenia is associated with increased inflammation, studies on the effects of anti-inflammatory statins are warranted.

A preview of 3 pivotal trials suggests promising results, but there are reasons to wait before jumping in with this antipsychotic.

The sexual side effects of psychiatric medications are troubling enough that some patients consider treatment cessation. The authors review 5 strategies for managing sexual dysfunction.

Sedation may not always be desirable, but it is difficult to avoid in psychiatry. Some of the most sedating medications are discussed.

Antipsychotic-induced weight gain evolves over time, leads to chronic complications, and is very difficult to reverse. Pharmacologic interventions used to tackle weight gain are modestly effective and worth considering in certain cases.

The psychiatrist's armamentarium to treat depression holds promise with a growing arsenal of integrative and pharmacologic options.

Whether an effect is adverse or desired can be a function of the clinical situation.