Psych Congress

Your patient walks in with signs of traumatic injury, or intellectual or developmental disability. What special considerations are necessary in assessing and treating this patient?

The demands on physicians keep growing-they are not only responsible for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, they are subject to all manner of related administrative and practice responsibilities. It’s no wonder that they are too busy to step back and periodically assess themselves and what they are doing.

In this 2-part video, Steven King, MD discusses the various causes of cancer pain and then focuses on role that psychiatrists can play in helping patients cope.

Pharmacological and nonpharmacological strategies to treat and manage comorbid schizophrenia and addiction concern psychiatrists who are learning strategies to help improve functional outcomes.

There has been substantial interest lately on the early stages of schizophrenia and the effects of untreated psychosis. Clinical trials have focused on medications for first episode, assessments of adverse effects, and “care paths” for the early/prodromal stage of psychosis.

New treatment options for mood disorders are under investigation, including the novel class of glutamatergic drugs.

What is sleep normally and what are the primary factors that regulate sleep? Understanding that the primary factors that regulate the sleep wake cycle are homeostatic and circadian will help clinicians assess sleep problems in patients.

Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa-or a combination of the two-share body image distortions and are associated with a great deal of other comorbid symptoms.

By the year 2050, it is estimated that the number of people with Alzheimer disease and other forms of dementia will explode to 36 million in the US and over 160 million worldwide, over 3 times the current rate.

What is necessary in order to make a psychiatric disability determination? For one thing, treating clinicians should be aware of how the domains that are important for the consideration of impairment differ from the domains that are important to consider diagnostically.

Not surprisingly, children often “clam up” when they’re brought to the doctor. Their reluctance may be no cause for concern-or it could indicate an underlying issue.

Anton Porsteinsson, MD, discusses some specifics for fine-tuning the care of patients with Alzheimer disease. Here: optimizing physical health and mental stimulation and promoting a brain-healthy diet and aerobic exercise.

Can stimulants increase function in people with early stage Alzheimer disease? Here, Anton Porsteinsson, MD, discusses the pros and cons.

In this video, Anton Porsteinsson, MD, discusses some of the causative factors of Alzheimer disease: genetics, environment, personality. He goes on to explain that although there are clear determinants for AD, there are preventive actions that can be taken to delay the onset of disability.

Neuroimaging… is it still a research tool in psychiatry, or is it ready for prime time? In this video, Jair Soares, MD, of the University of Texas at Houston, touches on the main brain imaging techniques and their possible uses in mental health practice.

Aggressive behavior is one of the most frequent reasons for consultation with a mental health professional in community-based settings. Dr Hendren presents a neurodevelopmental model for the assessment and treatment of aggression in youths.

Many health care professionals do not know how standards of care and medical malpractice are determined. This lack of knowledge can result in either inadequate communication or defensive medical treatment. Dr Rodgers reviews malpractice standards and addresses issues regarding technologies such as email, social networking, and cyber-treatment.

The goal of treating the whole patient, ie, integrating the mind-body connection into mental health care inititiatives, is to provide health care professionals with tactics to effectively identify interdependent conditions of the mind and body that impair psychiatric well-being, as well as strategies for successful treatment and management options in the clinical setting to improve patient care, outcomes, and overall wellness.

The subtleties of the sense of humor may reveal alterations in mental status, yet it is often overlooked when assessing patients. It is a valuable area of inquiry and may shed light on problems of social relatedness as well as highlight resilience and coping mechanisms. Dr Greenberg discusses the use of the sense of humor in assessing well-being and how to use the sense of humor therapeutically.

Diminishing libido is a symptom of depression, but antidepressants do not always restore sexual interest. Loss of desire may be the cause of depression, not its consequence. Dr Levine explains the nature of sexual desire and its relationship to arousal including the various biogenic, psychogenic, interpersonal, and cultural factors that contribute to problems associated with sexual desire.

Perinatal anxiety disorders are common and pose risks to women and their offspring. Here, Laura Miller, MD, speaks briefly on panic disorder, PTSD, and OCD during pregnancy and post-partum, and she offers strategies for crafting effective treatment plans.

Mood and cognitive disorders are major public health problems, and care for patients with such conditions is of growing importance as the population ages. Here, geriatric psychiatrist Jeffrey Lyness, MD, of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York offers teaching points about the evaluation of depression in older persons.

The 24th Annual Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress will be held on November 7-10 at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

In a question-and-answer discussion with Dr Phillip Resnick, clinicians gained valuable insights into the legalities of psychiatry and how best to treat patients and protect the public (and themselves).

LIVE FROM PSYCHIATRIC CONGRESS It is no surprise that pain, depression, and anxiety form a "terrible triad"--but now there’s proof, according to results from research presented1 at the 2010 US Psychiatric and Mental Health Congress (Psych Congress).

Of the screening tools available to help identify early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, which is best?