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Meta ‐analyses back several supplements as adjunctive treatment for depression
A systematic review and meta‐analyses of pharmaceutical‐grade nutrients as adjunctive treatment for depression have found encouraging evidence for the use of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAMe), methylfolate, omega‐3 fatty acids, and vitamin D as augmentation strategies. Some of the other supplements that were reviewed, including folic acid, showed mixed results, while inositol had nonsignificant results. Findings of the review and meta‐analyses were published online April 26 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Adjunctive Therapy Source Type: research

From the FDA
Approvals Drug Safety Communications (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: From the FDA Source Type: research

Research Roundup
Lamotrigine use in pregnancy not linked to abnormalities No link between SSRIs, cardiovascular problems Antipsychotics increase risk of mortality in Parkinson's patients Androgen deprivation therapy increases depression risk in prostate cancer patients Acetylcholine receptor agonist improves cognition in schizophrenia patients (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Research Roundup Source Type: research

Anticholinergic drugs associated with cognitive decline in normal older adults
A longitudinal study involving cognitively normal older adults has found that use of anticholinergic drugs increased the risk of brain dysfunction and cognitive decline. These effects were most pronounced in individuals taking drugs with the greatest anticholinergic activity. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Repeated intravenous ketamine benefits patients with treatment‐resistant depression
Intravenous ketamine administered twice a week or three times a week resulted in sustained antidepressant effects compared with placebo in a group of patients with treatment‐resistant depression, a new study has found. Based on similar results between the two dosing frequencies, the researchers indicated that a twice‐weekly regimen could serve as an initial repeated‐dose strategy in this population. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Antidepressant use and recurrent falls in the elderly
Psychotropic drugs, including antidepressants, are commonly prescribed in elderly patients, and data suggest their use is associated with falls and resultant hip fracture.1,2 Questions remain, however, as to whether the falls are directly related to the use of medication or to the underlying depressive condition, and the association between recurrent falls and antidepressant use has seldom been investigated. The following longitudinal study evaluated the risk of recurrent falls in elderly users of various antidepressants, with the study including individuals with a history of falls and/or fracture. (Source: The Brown Unive...
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Y. W. Francis Lam Tags: Drug ‐Drug Interactions Source Type: research

Meta‐analyses back several supplements as adjunctive treatment for depression
A systematic review and meta‐analyses of pharmaceutical‐grade nutrients as adjunctive treatment for depression have found encouraging evidence for the use of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAMe), methylfolate, omega‐3 fatty acids, and vitamin D as augmentation strategies. Some of the other supplements that were reviewed, including folic acid, showed mixed results, while inositol had nonsignificant results. Findings of the review and meta‐analyses were published online April 26 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - July 19, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Adjunctive Therapy Source Type: research

Extended‐release naltrexone reduces opioid relapse in justice population
Six months of treatment with the extended‐release injectable formulation of naltrexone resulted in a lower rate of relapse to opioid use than conventional nonmedication treatment among adults in the criminal justice system, a study has found. The findings add to evidence that medication‐assisted treatment for opioid use disorders can be highly effective for an offender population that often lacks access to such treatment. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - June 22, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Special Populations Source Type: research

Research Roundup
Study in elderly identifies predictors of remission of depression Meta‐analysis finds omega‐3s effective as adjunctive treatment for depression Citalopram shows effectiveness for range of Alzheimer's disease symptoms Metoclopramide controls hypersalivation associated with clozapine treatment Augmentation therapy with memantine improves symptoms of schizophrenia Cognitive symptoms in Lyme disease fail to respond to antibiotics Psychoactive drug use adds dimension to Islamic terrorist activity (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - June 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Research Roundup Source Type: research

Continuation treatment with escitalopram reduces body dysmorphic disorder relapse
In what is believed to be the first relapse prevention study in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), researchers found that 6 months of continuation treatment with escitalopram resulted in fewer relapses and an increased time to relapse when compared with placebo. However, patients receiving escitalopram in the study's continuation phase did not see significant improvement in psychosocial functioning or quality of life when compared with placebo patients, the researchers reported. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - June 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Amino acid reduces symptoms in persons with skin‐picking disorder
The amino acid N‐acetylcysteine resulted in significant symptom reduction relative to placebo in individuals with excoriation disorder, a condition in which people repeatedly pick at their skin, a new study has found. The findings point to the glutamate system as a potentially opportune target for treatments for this disorder and for other compulsive behaviors, the researchers suggested. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - June 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: What's New in Research Source Type: research

Cognitive effects of second‐generation antidepressants in the elderly
It is not uncommon for patients with depression to exhibit cognitive deficits, such as impaired attention, information processing, and memory.1 Some studies suggest that antidepressants can improve neurocognitive function via their beneficial effects on depressive symptomatology and neurophysiological changes in the brain. However, there is conflicting evidence, which could be related to the different receptor binding properties and sites of action of individual antidepressants. Currently, there is limited information regarding comparative cognitive effects among various antidepressants in elderly patients with depression....
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - June 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Y. W. Francis Lam Tags: Drug ‐Drug Interactions Source Type: research

Among severely opioid‐dependent, injectable hydromorphone offers option
A study of long‐term users of street heroin in British Columbia has found that an injectable formulation of the analgesic hydromorphone was as effective as diacetylmorphine (the active ingredient in heroin) in reducing use of street heroin and positive urine tests for heroin. Given the policy barriers to wider use of diacetylmorphine, the authors of this study suggest that hydromorphone eventually might be seen as a viable alternative in the treatment of opioid dependence. Study results were published online April 6 in JAMA Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - June 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Addiction Treatment Source Type: research

Combination of opioid medications shows promise in treatment‐resistant depression
A new study has found that a combination of the opioid partial agonist buprenorphine and the opioid antagonist samidorphan improved depression outcome measures in adults who had not responded adequately to one or two courses of antidepressant treatment. Patients receiving a dose of 2 mg of each drug showed greater improvement than patients receiving a higher dose of 8 mg of each drug. Results were published online Feb. 12 in the American Journal of Psychiatry. (Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - May 26, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: Adjunctive Therapy Source Type: research

Proposed rule
(Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update)
Source: The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update - May 24, 2016 Category: Psychiatry Tags: From the FDA Source Type: research