Structural Brain Changes After ECT for Depression

Topics: ECT | Neuroscience in Psychiatry | Psychotic Depression | Treatment-Resistant Depression

REVIEW OF: Gryglewski G et al, Brain Stimul 2021;14(4):927–937 STUDY TYPE: Meta-analysis Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has high antidepressant potency, boasting an impressive response rate of up to 80%. However, despite decades of research, we still have little understanding of its mechanism of action. Although several structural brain changes hav

How COVID-19 Affects the Brain

Topics: C-Reactive Protein | Coronavirus | COVID19 | CRP | Lamictal | Lamotrigine | Medical Comorbidities | Neurology | Neuroscience in Psychiatry | Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The COVID-19 pandemic is a source of many stress-related conditions, from grief to depression to PTSD. But there’s another problem we need to look out for in those who’ve been infected with the virus: neuropsychiatric effects. The novel coronavirus can potentially invade neurons, and the immune response to this virus can affect the brain as well. Si

A Look at the Latest Antidepressant Meta-Analysis

Topics: Antidepressants | Neuroscience in Psychiatry

You may have read about the meta-analysis published in Lancet earlier this year on the efficacy evidence for all antidepressants (Cipriani A et al, Lancet 2018;391(10128):1357–1366). It’s a complicated paper, and in this article, we’ll take a closer look at it and give you our take on the bottom line. The authors did a systematic review and met

Neurobiology Concepts for Psychiatrists

Topics: Dementia | Neuroscience in Psychiatry

TCPR: I think that a lot of psychiatrists, myself included, could use a refresher course on Parkinson disease and how to distinguish its symptoms from those induced by antipsychotics (parkinsonism). What exactly is parkinsonism? Dr. Kaufman: Parkinsonism is a clinical syndrome comprised primarily of rigidity, tremor, and bradykinesia (slowed movements)

The Neuroscience Behind Addictions and SSRIs

Topics: Addiction | Neuroscience in Psychiatry

TCPR: One of the reasons we wanted to interview you was to get insight into how we can talk to patients about the neuroscience behind their disorders. A lot of us know some of the science, but why is it good for us to learn more? Dr. Higgins: I think it’s important because having patients understand the neuroscience not only better educates them, but

Assessing and Treating Psychogenic Pain

Topics: Addiction | Neuroscience in Psychiatry | Practice Tools and Tips

CATR: To start, can you give us your take on the neurological process around pain? What’s going on in the brain that causes a patient pain? Dr. Schubiner: All pain is generated by what the neuroscientists call a salience network, or as I like to call it, the danger alarm mechanism. All pain is real. It’s just a question of whether that pain is bein

Is EEG Useful in Psychiatry?

Topics: Diagnostic Testing | Neuroscience in Psychiatry | Practice Tools and Tips

Is it useful for psychiatrists to order EEGs on their patients? That’s a perennially controversial question, and one that’s worth revisiting from time to time. The basics of EEG First developed in the 1920s, EEG entails applying electrodes to the scalp’s surface to measure electricity generated by neural activity. The brain works primarily via

Neurofeedback in Psychiatry: What’s the Evidence?

Topics: Diagnostic Testing | Neuroscience in Psychiatry | Practice Tools and Tips

TCPR: You and your UMass colleagues recently reviewed the current research on the efficacy of neurofeedback in psychiatry (Begemann M et al, Trans Brain Rhyth 2016;1(1):19–29). But before going into the research, can you please describe what the procedure is and how it is done? Many of our readers wonder whether neurofeedback is a legitimate or effect

The Neuroscience of Marijuana

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Neuroscience in Psychiatry | Substance Abuse

The neuroscience of cannabis has advanced at a remarkable pace. While it’s a complicated story, the basic effects of marijuana on our brains are pretty well established and fairly easy to grasp. Some knowledge of these effects can be clinically useful, particularly when it comes to predicting the potential effects of excessive THC that your patients m

Research Domain Criteria (RDoC)

Topics: DSM | Neuroscience in Psychiatry | Understanding Psychiatric Research

Nuedexta for Pseudobulbar Affect

Topics: Mood Stabilizers | Natural Medications | Neuroscience in Psychiatry

Pseudobulbar affect (PBA), also known as pseudobulbar palsy, is a neurological condition in which patients have sudden outbursts of crying or laughing. While the episodes can be triggered by events that would ordinarily elicit genuine sadness or amusement, patients with PBA react with intense displays of emotion that they cannot control. The frequency o

The Neurobiology of Trauma

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Neuroscience in Psychiatry

Neurofeedback as a Treatment for ADHD

Topics: ADHD | Brain Devices | Child Psychiatry | Neuroscience in Psychiatry

Neurofeedback, also known as “EEG biofeedback,” has been around for a long time, but its history is checkered. Clinicians have hawked devices for treating ADHD and other psychiatric conditions in the absence of reliable efficacy data. Since the treatment is rarely covered by insurance companies, families may pay several thousand dollars for a typica

Treating Headaches in Psychiatry

Topics: Free Articles | Natural Medications | Neuroscience in Psychiatry

We know that headaches are common in the general population, but they are particularly common among patients with psychiatric problems. According to one review, (Pompili M et al., J Headache Pain 2009; 10(4):283-290) patients with depression have a 46% lifetime prevalence of migraine, while bipolar patients have a 51% prevalence. Patients with migraines

History of Neurotransmitters in Psychiatry

Topics: Neuroscience in Psychiatry