PsychPearls by Psychiatric Times

Amir Inamdar MBBS, DNB (Psych), MFPM

Delve into the evolving landscape of ADHD treatment options. Discover innovative non-pharmacological strategies that are shifting the focus away from traditional stimulant medications. Experts share their insights on the effectiveness and potential of these alternative approaches. Learn how these methods can impact the management of ADHD symptoms and the future of treatment.

Scare tactics don’t work. But scientific education might. Here are tips for talking with teenaged patients about keeping themselves and their friends safe. 

Learn about the negative effects of evening light on mood and sleep, and how blue light filtering glasses can help. Explore the use of blue light blockers as a therapy for mania and bipolar disorder, and discover the benefits of dark therapy for managing mania. Find out how to create a dark bedroom and troubleshoot common issues.

Guest James L. Knoll IV, MD, a forensic psychiatrist, discusses his childhood fascination with Jonestown, the risk of burnout in forensic psychiatry, the role of hobbies in maintaining mental well-being, the tension of being a forensic psychiatrist, the importance of social media in forensic investigations, and the need to not judge patients.

Dr. James L. Knoll IV, a forensic psychiatrist, discusses treating inmates and morally objectionable patients in the US criminal justice system. The topics explored in this podcast include social hierarchies in prisons contributing to psychiatric illnesses, high prevalence of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia among inmates, the challenges of treating patients in prisons vs jails, the role of mental health courts in improving care, and the difficulties of treating patients with psychopathy or antisocial personality disorders.

In this edition of PsychPearls, Hannah Simon, MD, introduces a new series on teen and tween mental health. Her first guest is Andrew Chen, MD, MS, the chief medical officer for USA Nordic, the national leadership organization for Nordic Combined and Ski Jumping in the United States. They discuss the importance of mental wellbeing for peak athletic performance, the programs available for Olympic athletes, and how health care providers can help students succeed—in everything from the big game to the big test.   In this podcast they cover: - Dr Chen’s path from medical school to the Olympic Games - Simone Biles and fighting the stigma surrounding mental illness - The mental health challenges facing school-aged children during the pandemic - The importance of diet and nutrition for athletic performance and mental wellbeing - 5 personality attributes that Olympians share (and what psychiatrists can learn from them) Dr Simon is a child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.  Acknowledgement: Thanks to Columbia University Department of Psychiatry for allowing us to present the Caring for Teens and Tweens podcast with experts in the field of psychiatry.

Lamotrigine was launched for bipolar disorder in 2003, but it was a quiet launch, and since then a few myths have gathered around it as if to fill that vacuum. Today, we will address 4 of them. 

This podcast explores the impact of blue light on patients with depression and bipolar disorder. It discusses how blue light suppresses melatonin, disrupts circadian rhythms, and affects clock genes linked to psychiatric disorders. The podcast also explores how blue light impairs sleep, cognition, and mental health, and its connection to bipolar disorder. It emphasizes the need for reduced exposure to blue light from sources like smartphones and LED screens.

PSYCHPEARLS PODCAST Alzheimer disease (AD) remains one of the most dreaded diagnoses a patient can get. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raised hopes when it approved aducanumab, which promised to be the first disease-modifying drug for AD. But the approval immediately proved controversial. Three FDA board members resigned, the FDA then narrowed its patient label, and in mid-July, major hospitals announced that they would not administer the drug.  In this edition of Psych Pearls, Helen Lavretsky, MD, MS clarifies the issues in the aducanumab debate and offers guidance for clinicians whose patients may ask about it. Going beyond pharmacology, she points out that other treatment options, including mind-body interventions and diet changes, have been shown to slow AD’s progression.  In this conversation, Psychiatric Times and Lavretsky cover: 1.     The aducanumab controversy 2.     Advice for talking to patients and caregivers about aducanumab and other novel pharmacological options 3.     Mind-body and lifestyle interventions for AD 4.     AD prevention programs, including nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction 5.     Taking care of caregivers, including psychiatrists and other medical professionals 6.     How to prescribe joy  Dr Lavretsky is a professor in-residence in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles. Her work on geriatric depression and integrative mental health using mind-body interventions has received national attention, and she has won numerous grants supporting that work. A distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, she is also on the board of Psychiatric Times.