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Burden cited for caregivers—mainly parents—of patients with psychotic disorders
(Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - December 22, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Research Roundup Source Type: research

Authors question overreliance on MRI studies
There are many MRI and functional MRI (fMRI) studies that may shed light on pathobiology of psychiatric disorders, but recent reports relying on popular MRI research are highly sensitive to artifacts such as head motion and breathing that may affect the results, researchers write. The uncritical acceptance of these studies, which may be fallacious, risks spreading misinformation to both clinicians and patients about biological underpinnings of psychiatric disorders. They noted that a century ago, psychiatric research focused on postmortem brain investigations looking for anatomical lesions, with many findings reported — ...
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - December 22, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: News Source Type: research

Cannabis: Does it help or hurt psychotic disorders and PTSD?
There is some evidence that cannabis can benefit people with psychotic disorders or post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — and some evidence that it can worsen these conditions. In light of recent policy changes on the therapeutic (as well as recreational) use of cannabis, researchers Margaret Haney, Ph.D., of the Division on Substance Abuse at Columbia University Medical Center's Department of Psychiatry, and A. Eden Evins, M.D., of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, undertook a discussion in the current issue of Neuropsychopharmacology on the benefits and ...
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - December 22, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

CBT plus medication reduces depression relapse even after treatment has ended
Researchers evaluated the combination of continued fluoxetine plus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) aimed at relapse prevention for major depressive disorder (MDD). They wanted to see if the combined medication and CBT would prevent relapse beyond the treatment phase. They found that it did, significantly. Even though patients were no longer going to therapy, those who had gone earlier in treatment had a significantly lower relapse rate, and for those who did relapse, it took three months longer than it did for those who did not get CBT. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - December 22, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Depression Source Type: research

Early staging of bipolar disorder: Intervene before symptoms occur
Young people under 25 are burdened by bipolar disorder, but there are effective approaches for people at high risk of early onset. Clinical staging used for other chronic diseases, such as cancer or diabetes, is important, especially if it means someone can get an intervention starting at high risk (stage 0) and continuing through end‐stage (stage 4). (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - November 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Bipolar Disorder Source Type: research

FDA reviewing ingestible sensor device to monitor Abilify compliance
Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is not allowed to discuss pending reviews, it has accepted the New Drug Application (NDA) for the combination product of Abilify, a brand of aripiprazole, embedded with a Proteus ingestible sensor. The FDA considered the NDA filed as of September 8. The below information comes from Otsuke Pharmaceuticals and Proteus. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - November 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: From the FDA Source Type: research

Consensus on DMDD diagnosis in only 3 out of 4 cases, study in Turkey finds
(Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - November 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Research Roundup Source Type: research

States' activities on early intervention programs continue to gain
In the nearly two years since Congress directed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to require states to set aside 5% of their Mental Health Block Grant (MHBG) allocation to support services that address the needs of individuals with early serious mental illness, including psychosis, states have gained momentum in treating youth and young adults and their families. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - November 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Programs seek to shorten duration of untreated first‐episode illness
The days, months and sometimes years that often elapse between a young person's first episode of psychosis and full engagement with mental health services can set the stage for a lifetime of struggle and unfulfilled potential. Reducing that duration has become a priority in the federal government and in a number of states. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - November 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

14‐year‐olds with subthreshold depression have reduced brain volumes
In this study, researchers looked for brain‐structure differences between 14‐year‐olds in the community with subthreshold depression and the subjects' depressive status two years later. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - November 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Federal leaders, field promote benefits of first‐episode psychosis programs
This fall, there has been a plethora of undertakings related to the need for funding support and expansion of early intervention services for young people experiencing first‐episode psychosis (FEP) to communities across the country. Among the activities are the release of a landmark study to announce new findings from a multiyear study of FEP programs, a Capitol Hill briefing to announce those results and new Medicaid coverage guidance for early intervention in psychosis programs. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - November 23, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: First Episode Pyschosis Source Type: research

Adverse events of psychotropic medications in preschoolers: Highest for fluoxetine
There has been a sharp increase in prescribing of psychotropic medications for very young children, but research looking at adverse events (AEs) lags behind, leaving clinicians and parents no choice but to rely on anecdotal evidence or research on older children in their decision‐making. So researchers, using the Pediatric Adverse Events Rating Scale (PAERS), assessed AEs in a very young clinical sample. For the study, researchers wanted to describe the frequency and types of medication related to AEs in the children, and to identify the medications associated with the highest frequency of AEs. (Source: The Brown Univers...
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - October 25, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Side Effects Source Type: research

FDA issues warning about off‐label pediatric use of tramadol
In a “Drug Safety Communication” posted September 21, the Food and Drug Administration warned that it is investigating the use of the pain medicine tramadol in children aged 17 years and younger, because of the rare but serious risk of slowed or difficult breathing. This risk may be increased in children treated with tramadol for pain after surgery to remove their tonsils and/or adenoids. The FDA is evaluating all available information and will communicate final conclusions and recommendations to the public when the review is complete. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - October 25, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: From the FDA Source Type: research

Research Roundup
Missouri study shows CMHCs more likely than other providers to test patients on antipsychotics for metabolic issues Antipsychotic medications effective, but discontinuation and noncompliance are worrisome Study shows no opioid treatment increase from 2004–2013 (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - October 25, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Research Roundup Source Type: research

Genetic testing for psychiatric medications: No good research yet, report finds
So much of finding the right psychiatric medication is trial and error, leading to the push for “precision medicine” by the National Institute of Mental Health (see CPU, March 2015). Under this policy, the NIMH is moving away from a diagnosis‐based treatment system to a symptom‐based one, with a focus on genomics. (Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology Update - October 25, 2015 Category: Psychiatry Tags: News Update Source Type: research