
American Journal of Psychiatry Audio
Each episode of AJP Audio brings you an in-depth look at one of the articles featured in that month’s issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry, the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association. Wide-ranging interviews with article authors cover the background, rationale, main findings, and future implications of the research.
This podcast is subject to the Terms of Use at ww.psychiatry.org. The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the individual speakers only and do not necessarily represent the views of the American Psychiatric Association, its officers, trustees, or members. The content of this podcast is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as, and shall not be understood or construed as, medical or any other type of professional advice nor does it represent any statement of the standard of care. We strongly recommend that any listener follow the advice of physicians directly involved in their care and contact their local emergency response number for any medical emergency. The information within this podcast is provided as-is and is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or accurate.
Latest episodes

Feb 1, 2020 • 26min
February 2020: Adverse Outcomes Following Buprenorphine Discontinuation
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Arthur Robin Williams, M.D., M.B.E., and Mark Olfson, M.D., M.P.H., about their research on adverse health outcomes following discontinuation of buprenorphine among Medicaid beneficiaries who were retained for variable periods beyond 6 months. How buprenorphine helps patients, and factors affecting the use of this medication [2:50] Are there any quality measures for buprenorphine or for the treatment of opioid use disorder more generally? [7:48] What the authors aimed to achieve in the study [10:59] How the authors determined what methods to use in the study [13:51] Main findings with regard to adverse health outcomes after patients discontinued buprenorphine [16:22] Implications of the results [19:01] What further studies should explore with regard to treatment for opioid use disorder [21:50] Takeaways for researchers, clinicians, and other mental health professionals [23:06] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to it. Subscribe to the podcast here. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Jan 1, 2020 • 24min
January 2020: Maternal Bacterial Infection and Offspring Psychosis Risk
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Younga H. Lee, Ph.D., and Stephen L. Buka, Sc.D., about their research on the association between maternal bacterial infection during pregnancy and risk for psychotic disorders in offspring. The New England Family Study [2:50] Study design [7:21] How information about exposure to bacterial infection was collected, and how offspring who developed mental health problems were evaluated [8:07] Main findings with regard to the connection between exposure to bacterial infection in utero and the development of illness among offspring [11:37] Whether the findings have any bearing on the use of medication to treat infections in pregnancy [12:27] Did any results surprise the researchers? [13:41] What further studies should explore [16:56] Implications of the work [18:12] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to it. Subscribe to the podcast here. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Dec 1, 2019 • 17min
December 2019: Dimensions of Psychopathology and Brain Structure
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Antonia Kaczkurkin, Ph.D., and Theodore Satterthwaite, M.D., about their research on how different measures of brain structure (cortical thickness and volume) in youths are associated with various dimensions of psychopathology. What this study aimed to achieve [3:19] Dimensions of psychopathology identified in the study [6:33] Description of a novel method to identify structural brain networks [8:17] Main findings of the research [9:53] Whether information about psychopathology can be gleaned from structural networks in the brain [11:09] What further studies should explore [12:20] Implications of the work [13:11] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to it. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Nov 1, 2019 • 17min
November 2019: CBD for the Reduction of Craving and Anxiety in Heroin Use Disorder
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Yasmin Hurd, Ph.D., about her research on the potential of cannabidiol (CBD) to reduce cue-induced craving and anxiety, two critical features of addiction that often contribute to relapse and continued drug use, in drug-abstinent individuals with heroin use disorder. What has past research with CBD shown in terms of its function as a treatment for mental illness? [2:29] Why the present study examined the potential of CBD to moderate craving and anxiety, and how these reactions were triggered among participants [4:14] How did the study team decide to evaluate CBD at two different doses? [5:54] Main findings of the study [7:42] Discussion of secondary outcomes and adverse events [9:02] Take-home messages for mental health professionals and the general public [11:37] Thoughts on how the medical use of CBD will fit in to the broader trend of the relaxation of marijuana laws throughout the United States [13:28] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to it. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Oct 1, 2019 • 10min
October 2019: Cognitive Change in Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Abraham Reichenberg, Ph.D., about his research on cognitive decline after the first episode of schizophrenia and other psychoses. Why previous research has not been able to map the course of cognitive change among people who have serious mental illness [1:50] Whether a decline in patients’ cognition occurs after a first diagnosis [3:53] Whether a decline occurs in multiple cognitive domains [4:40] Whether a decline in cognition is unique to schizophrenia, or if it is common to other types of psychosis [5:31] Aspects of the study that are relevant for researchers, clinicians, and other mental health professionals [6:15] Implications of the findings [7:01] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to it. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Sep 1, 2019 • 25min
September 2019: Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination in Health Care
Guest host Ann Thomas speaks with Jessica A. Gold, M.D., M.S., and Christina Mangurian, M.D., M.A.S., about their commentary on sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the health care workplace and on how mental health professionals can help remedy these inequities. How pervasive is this problem in health care? [3:13] What are the goals of TIME'S UP Healthcare? [6:57] How are mental health professionals uniquely qualified to develop system-level efforts to promote change? [11:12] What are some key steps mental health care providers can take to raise awareness? [14:12] What progress has been made? [17:23] What does the future hold? [20:10] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you listen to it. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Aug 1, 2019 • 24min
August 2019: Youth Mental Health Development
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Thorhildur Halldorsdottir, Ph.D., and Elisabeth Binder, M.D., Ph.D., about their research on predicting depression outcomes in youths and how the interaction between FKBP5, a gene involved in regulating the stress system, and early-life exposure to intimate partner violence affects the physiological response to stress early in life, with consequences for emotional and cognitive development. How polygenic risk scores may be used to identify risk for and symptoms of depression in young people [3:32] The interaction between exposure to stress in early life and emotional and cognitive development [8:05] Key points from each study [10:26] Applying gene-by-environment research to real-world work [14:27] What lies ahead in the study of how genes and the environment interact to influence mental health [16:34] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to it. The podcast is now on Spotify. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Jul 1, 2019 • 31min
July 2019: Treating Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Roscoe O. Brady, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., and Mark A. Halko, Ph.D., about their research on identifying and treating a network of connectivity in the brain corresponding to negative symptom severity in schizophrenia. The difference between positive and negative symptoms in psychosis, and why the symptoms are important [2:39] Identifying the treating the underlying circuitry of negative symptoms in the brain [6:25] Discussion of the results of the study [10:20] Symptom severity and the link between the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum [12:27] Aspects of the study that are relevant for researchers, clinicians, and other mental health professionals [20:40] What's next in this line of research and clinical care [25:40] Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to it. The podcast is now on Spotify. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

Jun 1, 2019 • 21min
June 2019: Treating Adults With Anorexia Nervosa
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Evelyn Attia, M.D., about her research evaluating the benefits of olanzapine compared with placebo for adult outpatients with anorexia nervosa. Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to it. The podcast is now on Spotify. Listen to other podcasts produced by the American Psychiatric Association. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org

May 1, 2019 • 21min
May 2019: The Clinical Utility of Irritability in Major Depressive Disorder
Executive Editor Michael Roy speaks with Madhukar H. Trivedi, M.D., about his research evaluating the clinical utility of adding irritability to the current paradigm of measuring depressive symptom severity during the course of antidepressant treatment. Be sure to let your colleagues know about the podcast, and please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to it. The podcast is now on Spotify. Browse articles online. Also visit the online edition of this month’s Journal to watch a video of Deputy Editor Daniel S. Pine, M.D., present highlights from the issue. Follow the Journal on Twitter. E-mail us at ajp@psych.org