Does Moderate Alcohol Use Lead to Cognitive Decline?

Topics: Addiction | Research Update

REVIEW OF: Topiwala A et al, BMJ 2017 Jun 6;357:j2353. doi:10.1136/bmj.j2353 It’s well established that long-term, heavy alcohol use can damage the brain and can cause problems such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and alcohol-related dementia. But what about the vast majority of our patients, who drink moderately? A recent study reports an associati

Negative Efficacy of Desvenlafaxine and Fluoxetine for Children and Adolescents With MDD

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Research Update

Review of: Weihs et al, J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2018;28(1):36–46 The debate about whether antidepressants work in children has been with us since the tricyclic era. A recent study evaluated the short-term efficacy and safety of a newer agent, desvenlafaxine (Pristiq). This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Does Vagus Nerve Stimulation Work for Treatment-Resistant Depression?

Topics: Brain Devices | Research Update

Review of: Aaronson ST et al, Am J Psychiatry 2017;174(7):640–648 Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is typically defined as a major depression that fails to remit after at least 2 trials of 2 different classes of antidepressants. Other than electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), there remain few evidence-based biological treatment options for TRD.

Is D-Cycloserine Useful for Panic Disorder Treatment Augmentation?

Topics: Anxiety Disorder | Research Update

Review of: Hofmeijer-Sevink MK et al, J Clin Psychopharmacol 2017;37(5):531–539 The mainstay of current treatment for panic disorder involves SSRIs and psychotherapy, specifically either cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or exposure with response prevention (ERP) therapy. D-cycloserine (DCS) is a partial N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonis

Evidence Behind Aripiprazole for the Treatment of Tourette’s Disorder

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Psychopharmacology Tips | Research Update

Review of: Sallee F et al,   J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2017;27(9):771–781 Tourette’s disorder (TD) is a movement disorder emerging during childhood that causes persistent motor and vocal tics. TD is treated with a variety of medications, but often with an off-label designation. There are only three medications that are FDA approved for

Interventions for Treatment or Prevention of Alcohol Hangover: Systematic Review

Topics: Addiction | Research Update

REVIEW OF: Jayawardena R et al, Hum Psychopharmacol 2017;32(3). Epub 2017 Jun 1. As clinicians, we’re more interested in preventing excessive drinking than curing hangovers. But it’s always nice to have some helpful advice for patients, which we found in a recently published literature review of clinical trials of hangover treatments. The auth

Efficacy and Safety of SSRIs and SNRIs for Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Disorders

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Depressive Disorder | Research Update

Review of: Locher C et al,  JAMA Psychiatry 2017;74(10):1011–1020 Since the 2004 FDA black-box warning on all antidepressants for pediatric use, controversy continues over the use of SSRIs and SNRIs in children and adolescents. Both classes of medication are still commonly used for pediatric depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and obsessive-

Estrogen Modulator Raloxifene Not Helpful for Schizophrenic Women

Topics: Antipsychotics | Research Update | Women's Issues in Psychiatry

Review of: Weiser M et al, J Clin Psychiatry 2017;78:e758–e765 Since estrogen can affect neurotransmitter functioning, there has been some interest in using estrogen modulators to treat psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia. Raloxifene is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) with some preliminary evidence for effectiveness in wo

Neurostimulation for Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms

Topics: Addiction | Research Update

REVIEW OF: Miranda A and Taca A, Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse 2017:1–8 A challenging barrier for patients with opi­oid use disorders is the discomfort that can occur during the “induction phase” of their treatment, which is the period between discontinuation of opioids and initiation of medication-assisted therapy (MAT). Difficulties with induction

Transcranial Direct-Current Stimul­ation: Not Ready for Prime Time Yet

Topics: Brain Devices | Research Update

Review of: Brunoni AR et al, N Engl J Med 2018;376(26):2523–2533 Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was approved by the FDA in 2009 for the treatment of major depression, but TMS is costly and has so far produced only mixed results. A novel method, transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS), applies a weak electrical current to the brain b

Can Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Affect Symptom Outcomes in Older Adults?

Topics: Anxiety Disorder | Research Update

Review of: Wetherell JL et al, J Clin Psychiatry;78(7):e734–e743 Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a formalized combination of mindfulness meditation, body awareness, and yoga. The technique has been shown to help with symptoms of depression and anxiety, and some preliminary small studies have hinted that it might improve both memory and

Can Just 11 Minutes of Mindfulness Training Reduce Alcohol Consumption?

Topics: Addiction | Research Update | Substance Abuse

REVIEW OF: Kamboj SK et al, Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2017;20(11):936–947 Mindfulness is a growing trend in mental health treatment, but it often requires hours of practice to become proficient. What if you could provide your patients with an introductory mindfulness lesson in less than 15 minutes and see meaningful reductions in their risky drink

Cannabidiol Could Alleviate Psychotic Symptoms in Schizophrenia

Topics: Antipsychotics | Research Update

REVIEW OF: Leweke FM et al, Transl Psychiatry 2012;2:e94 Research has shown that heavy cannabis use is associated with new-onset psychosis, so a study exploring the drug’s use as a treatment for schizophrenia is surprising, to say the least. Recall that cannabis is composed of more than 100 compounds, and that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is

A Cautionary Consensus on the Use of Ketamine for Depression

Topics: Antidepressants | Depressive Disorder | Research Update

Review of: Sanacora G et al, JAMA Psychiatry 2017;74(4):399–405. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0080 Ketamine has become increasingly popular as an off-label medication for rapid onset treatment of refractory depression. Recently, the American Psychiatric Association convened a task force to review the data and come up with some recommendations. T

Is Modafinil an Effective Alternative for the Treatment of ADHD?

Topics: ADHD | Child Psychiatry | Research Update

Review of: Wang SM et al, J Psychiatr Res 2017;84:292–300. Modafinil (Provigil) is FDA-approved for narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder, but not for ADHD. Given that it has some of the same stimulating properties of psychostimulants, it should theoretically be effective. Wang and colleagues identified five randomized

Can Strattera Improve Reading Skills in Children With Dyslexia?

Topics: Child Psychiatry | Research Update

Review of: Shaywitz S et al, J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol 2016;27(1):19–28. Dyslexia, a learning disability characterized by difficulty in reading skills, is highly prevalent, with rates between 5% and 17%. Treatments include non-medical interventions, which have limited success. Research suggests a critical role for attentional mechanisms in th

How Effective Is Tramadol for Opioid Withdrawal?

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

Review of: Dunn K et al, JAMA Psychiatry 2017. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.1838. [Epub ahead of print] Opioid withdrawal protocols often rely on a buprenorphine taper, but other medications are regularly used either in addition to or in the place of buprenorphine. In particular, tramadol ER, a mild opiate, may be effective and was recently studie

Understanding Tantrums in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Topics: Autism Spectrum Disorder | Child Psychiatry | Research Update

Review of: Mayes S et al, J Dev Phys Disabil 2017;29(4):587–596 Why do children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have tantrums? One theory is that these tantrums are due in part to children’s frustration with not being able to express themselves. This theory has led to a treatment approach called “mand training.” A mand is a verbal request

Take The CME Post-Test for ADHD in Children and Adolescents, CCPR, September/October 2017

Topics: ADHD | Autism Spectrum Disorder | Child Psychiatry | Research Update

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers only (October 31, 2018). By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 2 CME credits. Click here to take your CME test. Note: All of the CME tests are available in the “My Account” section of the site when you are logge

Take The CME Post-Test for Detox, CATR, September/October 2017

Topics: Addiction | Pharmacology Tips | Psychotherapy | Research Update | Substance Abuse

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers only (December 31, 2017). By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 2 CME credits. Click here to take your CME test. Note: All of the CME tests are available in the “My Account” section of the site when you are logg