Psychopharmacology

The SSRIs, although principally targeting serotonin transporter, are complex drugs that might work on other neurotransmitter and receptor systems. It is likely worthwhile to look at the effects of other monoamine and neuropeptide systems on the enzymatic machinery cleaving the amyloid precursor protein.

Most, if not all, antidepressants can cause bothersome adverse effects. These are described here along with strategies to help patients cope.

The limited effectiveness of current approaches provide compelling arguments for effective conventional and complementary interventions aimed at preventing PTSD and treating chronic PTSD. Specifics here.

A variety of commonly used psychiatric medications increase the risk of heatstroke, leaving psychiatric patients in jails and prisons at risk.

New national cohort prospective study finds increased, though rare, cardiovascular risks associated with stimulant use in children and adolescents with ADHD. Is your patient at risk?

Very few heavy drinkers receive treatment and fewer still are prescribed medications with demonstrated efficacy. Here, a summary of current research, key takeaways, and highlights from a study on topiramate treatment for heavy drinkers by the lead author of that study.

Clearly, some with schizophrenia fare better without antipsychotic drugs. But not all. Many individuals with schizophrenia are better off taking antipsychotic drugs for long-term.

With over 2 dozen FDA-approved antidepressants on the market, it is reasonable to ask: which antidepressants are most effective?

With regard to visual adverse effects in patients who take psychotropic medications, new is not always better or safer. More in this Brief Communication.

Treatment approaches to counter adverse metabolic effects associated with the atypicals.

What forces influence your decision to treat ADHD? Case vignettes and a back-to-basics approach may bring clarity to the diagnostic and therapeutic clinical processes that surround the decision.

In the trenches of Alzheimer research, the battle continues . . . but where do we stand? Is the war on AD dementia nearing conclusion, or are we simply in the initial throes of the fight? Three experts weigh in.

Although there is limited evidence for mind-body treatments for schizophrenia, these approaches may improve overall quality of life without associated risks. More in this slideshow.

Select natural products have been evaluated as adjunctive agents that may be combined with conventional antipsychotics, with promising preliminary findings. Music therapy, meditation, and mindfulness training may improve quality of life for individuals with schizophrenia. Details here.

What expanded roles should psychiatrists be playing in the provision of proper pain management without taking their eyes off the issue of prescription opioid misuse and abuse? Insights here.

What factors are involved in parents’ decision to begin medication treatment for a child with ADHD? An overview of studies that provide clinically relevant information related to the course and treatment outcomes of ADHD in children and adolescents.

There has been a lot of publicity about hearing loss as a predisposing factor to depression and dementia. What about visual problems? These questions and more in this expert Q&A.

In this podcast, B. Andrew Farah, MD, looks at shortcomings of current therapy that make treatment-resistant depression so common, offers insights into the genetic underpinnings of TRD, and focuses on a new treatment paradigm.

What happens when our patients get pregnant or plan to get pregnant? What if psychiatric illness manifests during pregnancy or the perinatal period? Dr Elizabeth Fitelson answers these questions and more in this video.

Vitamin D has been hailed as the “sunshine” vitamin with many therapeutic attributes. The authors explore the association between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of depression.

When Wordsworth rhapsodized about yellow flowers, it is doubtful that he expected his verse to translate into the mental health realm. Yet that is exactly what happened.

What medications are FDA approved for alcohol dependence? Take the quiz and learn more.

What's new in sleep medicine? The latest developments in both new and novel approaches to treating sleep disorders.

It is time for psychiatry’s critics to drop the conspiratorial narrative of the “chemical imbalance” and acknowledge psychiatry’s efforts at integrating biological and psychosocial insights.

A reexamination of flurothyl infusions holds promise for improved resolution of severe mood disorders, as well as for a greater understanding of the mechanism of their pathophysiology.

Because half of pregnancies in this country are unplanned, it's crucial to counsel women of reproductive potential about their medications-regardless of their plans to conceive.

With the multitude of nutritional products available to patients via the Internet and health-food stores, psychiatrists need to be prepared to respond to questions from patients about the value of these supplements.

Starting in 2015, psychiatrists will have to juggle antidepressant selections for Medicare patients. What might this mean for your patients?

Here's the story of a man with long-standing diabetes -- a pillar of the community-- who had been behaving strangely. He taught his physicians to look past the obvious clues and ultimately learn a lesson they never forgot.

In order to make positive changes in the field of psychiatry, it is important to appreciate and understand the current challenges and significant limitations of the present approach to psychiatric therapy.