Although most studies have focused on the risk of metabolic syndrome for patients with schizophrenia exposed to atypical antipsychotics, other psychiatric patients appear to be at risk for metabolic disturbances as well.7-9 Major depressive disorder (MDD) may be of particular interest because it is much more common than schizophrenia and is treated with a broad range of psychotropics.
Further evidence-based antidepressant treatments are needed for children and adolescents with depression.
Forensic psychiatrists expressed near-unanimous opposition to 3 controversial new sexual diagnoses after a spirited debate at a recent conference of the American Association of Psychiatry and Law (AAPL).
Between 50% and 80% of people with mental disorders smoke cigarettes. Are the tobacco companies targeting this population, and are mental health care facilities promoting the use of tobacco? What are psychiatrists' responsibilities in the overall health of their patient?
Psychiatrists may encounter patients who present with severe emotional consequences because they are victims of stalking. In addition, psychiatrists themselves are at increased risk for becoming victims of stalking because of the nature of their profession and their interaction with lonely and unhappy individuals.
The authors review the association between depression and violence, and the role that anger and emotional dysregulation play.
Worldwide, nonfatal deliberate self-harm is common among young people. However, when studying this phenomenon, methodological issues arise. Differences between genders have been found in presenting to the hospital following self-harm and in motive for engaging in this troubling behavior.
Posttraumatic stress disorder is one of the most devastating psychiatric disorders. Research has shown that a combination of multiple genes can lead to conditions for PTSD. Environmental factors, as well as comorbidities, must also be considered when looking for genetic conditions of PTSD.
Karl Doghramji, MD, FAASM, DFAPA, and Chelsie Monroe, MSN, APN, PMHNP-BC, conclude the discussion with advice for clinicians who treat patients with narcolepsy.
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent, chronic, debilitating mental illness associated with marked impairment in daily functioning.1 An ongoing evolution of the definition of GAD has resulted in a bifurcation of the historical anxiety neurosis designation.2 A diagnosis of GAD currently implies chronic, excessive worry lasting at least 6 months and 3 of the possible 6 somatic or psychological symptoms (restlessness, fatigue, muscle tension, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and sleep disturbance).3 GAD typically presents in an episodic pattern of moderate improvement or remission and relapse characterized by a chronic and complicated clinical course.
The vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) is a membrane-embedded protein that transports monoamine neurotransmitter molecules into intraneuronal storage vesicles to allow subsequent release into the synapse.1,2 By accumulating both newly synthesized neurotransmitter molecules and freshly returned neurotransmitter molecules from the synapse, VMAT function plays a critical role in the signaling process between monoamine neurons. The VMAT exists in 2 distinct forms: VMAT1 and VMAT2.3
With ECT‚ the response rate for treatment-refractory patients is sobering‚ and the treatment is not without risks and adverse effects.
Patients with residual symptoms of depression may continue to experience significant occupational and social impairment. The focus of this article is on the residual burden that so often remains after remission is achieved.
Assessing and treating suicidal behavior in the elderly can be difficult. What are the risk factors and how can this population best be treated?
This article sheds light on the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to TRD management in adults 60 years and older.
Planning a break from your practice for a while? Here are some tips to help you work with your partners and patients for a meaningful long-term absence.
Through patient self-management, mental health clinicians can transfer the focus from managing symptoms to allowing patients to live well in the context of their mental illness and medical comorbidities.
Eating disorders like anorexia nervosa are resistant to treatment. This case briefly outlines a treatment approach using a community-based, patient-centered model of care.
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and potentially debilitating psychiatric conditions. Is heredity linked to anxiety disorders? The importance of early identification and management of children at risk for anxiety disorders is emphasized.
One doctor shares how 2 mentors and a notable artist from history have inspired her.
Eating disorders in patients with schizophrenia have been underappreciated and poorly studied. Profiling characteristic phenotypic patterns will help clarify the distinctions among eating behaviors that are part of the spectrum of schizophrenia, those that represent distinct coexistent entities, and those that represent overlapping comorbidity.
It is widely accepted that patients with schizophrenia have some degree of cognitive deficiency and that cognitive deficits are an inherent part of the disorder. Historically, there has been less focus on cognitive deficits in patients with bipolar disorder; however, numerous studies of cognition in patients with bipolar disorder, including several comprehensive meta-analyses of bipolar patients who were euthymic at the time of testing, have recently been undertaken.1-4 Each of these analyses found that cognitive impairment persists during periods of remission, mainly in domains that include attention and processing speed, memory, and executive functioning.4
Age is a major risk factor for the development of Alzheimer disease and other dementias. New technologies in brain imaging represent major advances in our ability to diagnose age-related cognitive and behavioral disorders.
Major depressive disorder is common during childbearing. Depression that interferes with function develops in an estimated 14.5% of pregnant women. Some statistics are troubling in that only 13.8% of pregnant women who screen positive for depression actually receive treatment.
Panic disorder is a common psychiatric illness that can have a chronic, relapsing course. The question of whether pregnancy represents a time of increased risk for recurrence of panic symptoms has been a matter of debate.
Acute intoxication is the most likely culprit for an increased risk of violence or agitation, but personality, psychosis, and cognitive problems can all play a role. A skilled clinician can glean a great deal of information in a short period of time.
This article summarizes the risks of untreated psychiatric illness during pregnancy as well as the risks and benefits of antidepressant use.
Homelessness rates in both Canada and the United States have increased dramatically over the past 10 years. Among the homeless, there is a high prevalence of mental illness and substance use disorders.
What do functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging findings reveal about the neurobiology of borderline personality disorder? Take the quiz and learn more.