Effects of Cannabis Use on Smoking Cessation

Topics: Research Update | Smoking Cessation | Substance Abuse

REVIEW OF: Weinberger AH et al, J Clin Psychiatry 2018;79(2):17m11522 When counseling your patients to quit smoking, you may also want to consider asking them about their past marijuana use. Results from a recent study suggest that there may be a correlation between cannabis and tobacco smoking. Analysis of longitudinal data of almost 35,000 adult

Are All Psychotherapies for Anorexia Created Equal?

Topics: Research Update

Review of: Zeeck A et al, Front Psychiatry 2018;9:158. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00158 Type of study: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Psychotherapy is the main treatment for anorexia nervosa, but which type works best? Several therapies have good evidence in this population, but they differ in their models and methods, and head-to-head

CBT vs Pharmacotherapy for Childhood Anxiety

Topics: Depressive Disorder | Research Update

Review of: Wang Z et al, JAMA Pediatr 2017;171(11):1049–1056 Managing childhood anxiety can sometimes leave clinicians in a quandary. There is a paucity of evidence comparing different treatment approaches, and current guidelines on the subject are old and make inconsistent recommendations. To address this dilemma, researchers at the Mayo Clinic pe

Amphetamine Extended Release Oral Suspension for ADHD

Topics: ADHD | Research Update

Review of: Childress AC et al, J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2017;28(5):306–313 In 2015, the FDA approved Dyanavel XR (amphetamine extended release oral suspension), which was the first long-acting liquid version of amphetamine on the market. To provide some context, Quillivant XR, a long-action liquid methylphenidate formulation, was approved in

Serotonin Syndrome Risks With Co-Prescription of Triptan Drugs and SSRIs or SNRIs

Topics: Depressive Disorder | Research Update

Review of: Orlova Y, JAMA Neurology 2018;E1–E7 In 2006, the FDA issued a warning that patients using either selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs or SNRIs) together with triptan antimigraine drugs might be at a heightened risk for serotonin syndrome. Their advisory was based on 27 case report

Mindfulness Therapy for Adult ADHD

Topics: ADHD | Research Update

Review of: Janssen L et al, Psychological Medicine 2018;28:1–11 Medications are the first-line treatment for adult ADHD, and the efficacy of psychosocial therapies is less well-defined. Mindfulness-based therapy showed promise for adult ADHD in a recent meta-analysis, but there were flaws and significant differences between the included studies (Ja

Resilience Networks in Adolescent Females at Risk for Major Depression

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Research Update

Review of: Fischer AS et al, JAMA Psychiatry 2018;75(5):493–502 One of our biggest in-office challenges is how to enhance teen resilience, the process of adapting to and recovering from stressful life experiences. Some neuroscientists hypothesize that resilience is related to the limbic system, which plays a vital role in emotion processing, motiva

Can Computerized Interventions Reduce Cannabis Use?

Topics: Research Update | Substance Abuse

REVIEW OF: Olmos A et al, Addict Behav 2018;79:52–60 As medical and recreational marijuana become legalized in more states, more emphasis is being placed on treatment of those with cannabis use disorders. But with our clinics already at capacity, how can we find the most efficient way of providing therapy? Computerized interventions are already ava

Substance Use Disorders Are Under-Recognized in Patients With Diabetes

Topics: Research Update

REVIEW OF: Wu LT et al, Drug and Alcohol Dep 2018;186:86–93 Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a common condition with high treatment costs and significant morbidity and mortality. In 2015, an estimated 30.2 million American adults had T2D. Diabetes can be comorbid with other behavioral health disorders (BHDs), and this can lead to additional costs and incre

A CBT App for Refractory Depression

Topics: Research Update

Review of: Mantani A et al, J Medical Internet Res 2017;19(11):e373 Mobile phones have allowed the introduction of guided, self-help cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression with enhanced accessibility, efficiency, and affordability. Several meta-analyses suggest that computers can augment face-to-face psychotherapy and even work on their ow

Simvastatin as Adjunctive Therapy for Irritability in Autism

Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder | Child Psychiatry | Research Update

Review of: Moazen-Zadeh E et al, J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2018;28(1):82–89. Disorders of lipid metabolism—specifically inefficient metabolism of lipids—have been implicated as part of the metabolic complexity in children with autism spectrum disorder. Research points to the neuroprotective effects of simvastatin over other statins, due t

Dose Maintenance, Reduction With Antipsychotics

Topics: Antipsychotics | Research Update

Review of: Zhou Y et al, Journal of Psychopharmacology 2018. doi:10.1177/0269881118756062 Once patients with schizophrenia are stabilized on an antipsychotic in the acute phase of their treatment, guidelines are unclear on how to continue dosing. Some guidelines recommend lowering the dose, others recommend maintaining the dose, and others give no fi

Lithium Favored in Treatment Effectiveness Study

Topics: Antipsychotics | Research Update

Review of: Lahteenvuo M et al, JAMA Psychiatry 2018;75(4):347–355 A new study from Finland shows that lithium may be more effective than other treatments in reducing the risk of psychiatric rehospitalization in patients with bipolar disorder. Using a nationwide Finnish database, the authors examined the risk of rehospitalization for 18,000 patient

Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

Topics: Addiction | Research Update | Substance Abuse | Women's Issues in Psychiatry

REVIEW OF: May PA et al, JAMA 2018;319(5):474–482 New evidence suggests that the prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is higher than previously documented. In this study, prevalence estimates were derived from 13,146 first-grade children in four U.S. communities between 2010 and 2016. The authors provide both conservative estimates (1%–5

Is Varenicline Effective for Alcohol Use Disorder?

Topics: Addiction | Psychopharmacology Tips | Research Update | Substance Abuse

REVIEW OF: O’Malley S et al, JAMA Psychiatry 2018;75(2):129–138 Acting on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, varenicline (Chantix) is an FDA-approved treatment for smoking cessation. These receptors are implicated in both nicotine and alcohol reward pathways, so could varenicline also be helpful for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD)? So far

Guidelines for Switching From Methadone to Buprenorphine

Topics: Addiction | Psychopharmacology Tips | Research Update

REVIEW OF: Lintzeris N et al, J Addict Med 2018. doi:10.1097/ADM.0000000000000396 Recent guidelines published by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and nationally in Australia provide support for transferring patients from methadone to buprenorphine-naloxone (BNX). Patients may switch, thinking BNX is easier to discontinue or because of metha

Azithromycin for Acute-Onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Children

Topics: Child Psychiatry | OCD | Research Update

Review of: Murphy et al, J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2017; 27(7):640–651 Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) and pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with streptococcus (PANDAS) have been the subject of many debates in the field. From obsessions, compulsions, and tics, to personality changes and opposi

Celecoxib as Adjunctive Treatment in Acute Mania

Topics: Bipolar Disorder | Child Psychiatry | OCD | Research Update

Review of: Mousavi et al, J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2017; 27(6):494–500 Emotional stress can trigger an inflammatory cascade response and increase blood levels of proinflammatory cytokines—including IL-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). These same inflammatory markers intensify in acute episodes of depression and mania. So, would

Does Adolescent Vaping Lead to Cigarette Smoking?

Topics: Addiction | Research Update

REVIEW OF: Goldenson NI et al, JAMA Pediatrics 2017;171(12):1192–1199 Considering them less lethal than traditional cigarettes, many adolescents are turning to electronic cigarettes as a “safer” alternative to tobacco products. In 2016, 11% of U.S. 10th graders reported using e-cigarettes for vaping. Adolescents who vape can inhale nicotine con

QTc Prolongation Risk Management in Hospital Patients

Topics: Research Update

Review of: Vandael E et al, J Clin Psychopharmacol 2017;37(5):540–545 Many of the medications we prescribe, most notably antipsychotics and antidepressants, have some risk of QTc prolongation. Since it’s rare to have complications of a prolonged QTc interval—such as torsades de pointes (TdP) and sudden cardiac death—clinics and hospitals typi