Response Pharmaceuticals will present clinical data on RDX-002, a potential treatment for antipsychotic-induced weight gain, at the 2026 APA Annual Meeting.
Alkermes' narcolepsy drug Lumryz achieved success in its Phase 3 study, reinforcing the clinical profile of this established treatment for narcolepsy.
A study suggests a single dose of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy significantly increases cocaine-free days in patients with cocaine use disorder.
Psilocybin shows promise for treating cocaine addiction, highlighting its potential as a novel pharmacotherapy for substance use disorders.
This article explores the use of psilocybin for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder, providing insights into the mechanism of action and potential therapeutic applications of psychedelics in psychiatry.
Clinical Pearls
Bite-sized clinical takeaways from today's literature (sources from Aug 26 – May 12)
- Monitor height and weight Z-scores in children and adolescents on methylphenidate due to evidence of small but significant growth suppression.
- Counsel patients starting lumateperone for treatment-resistant depression that while it reduces symptoms, high discontinuation rates due to side effects are common.
- Consider rTMS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex as a non-pharmacologic alternative for smoking cessation in patients who cannot tolerate or have failed standard therapies.
- Utilize pre-treatment structural MRI data to predict ketamine response in treatment-resistant depression, as machine learning models show moderate accuracy for biomarker-informed stratification.
- Be aware of the ongoing debate regarding treatment-emergent mania in pediatric populations when initiating antidepressants, and monitor for this adverse effect closely.
- Prescribe antidopaminergic or muscarinic antipsychotics for acute schizophrenia based on network meta-analysis data comparing their respective efficacy and tolerability profiles.
- Recognize that GLP-1 agonists may offer therapeutic potential for alcohol use disorder, particularly in patients with obesity who exhibit exacerbated metabolic alterations and cravings.
- Monitor for potential lithium pharmacokinetic interactions when prescribing lithium alongside high-dose vitamin C, as case reports highlight this specific adverse event.
- Consider the emerging evidence for a single dose of psilocybin combined with psychotherapy to increase cocaine-free days in patients with cocaine use disorder.
- Evaluate the potential of an oral protocol combining fluoxetine and dextromethorphan for rapid symptom improvement in trauma-related disorders, leveraging glutamatergic mechanisms.
Drug Development 3
A clinical trial at MD Anderson is investigating psilocybin-assisted therapy to address mental health challenges in cancer patients, highlighting the expanding research into psychedelic treatments for psychiatric comorbidities in oncology.
A systematic review highlights that early-stage alcohol use disorder (AUD) medication trials often overlook sex differences and relapse prevention, suggesting a need for more inclusive study designs to identify therapeutic effects in women and high-risk populations.
This article reviews the modification of natural tryptamines for neuropsychiatric diseases, reflecting ongoing research into psychedelic pharmacotherapy.
Substance Use 2
A preliminary study suggests that obesity exacerbates metabolic alterations in alcohol use disorder, potentially intensifying cravings and supporting the investigation of GLP-1 agonists as a treatment for AUD.
Emerging data suggests psilocybin may offer therapeutic benefits for patients with cocaine use disorder, indicating potential for novel pharmacotherapies in substance use treatment.
Mechanism of Action 4
The D2 antagonist (-)-OSU6162 reduces context-conditioned fear freezing in rats, suggesting potential utility in treating anxiety disorders characterized by pathological fear responses.
An in vitro study characterizes how 21 CYP3A4 variants differentially metabolize citalopram, providing mechanistic data relevant to pharmacogenomic variability in antidepressant clearance.
High-dose psilocybin in rats produces acute behavioral changes but does not induce conditioned place preference, suggesting a low potential for abuse despite its therapeutic interest.
Preclinical data show that TAAR1 activation reduces mania-relevant behaviors in a bipolar disorder mouse model, highlighting a potential novel therapeutic target for risky decision-making in BD.
Diagnosis & Treatment 5
A machine learning model using pre-treatment structural MRI data can predict ketamine response in treatment-resistant depression with moderate accuracy, suggesting potential for biomarker-informed treatment stratification.
A four-patient case series reports rapid symptom improvement in trauma-related disorders using an oral protocol of fluoxetine-potentiated dextromethorphan with optional bupropion and piracetam, suggesting a potential glutamatergic treatment avenue for PTSD.
A clinical trial demonstrates that targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex with rTMS significantly reduces cigarette consumption and cravings in smokers, offering a non-pharmacologic alternative for patients who cannot tolerate or fail standard cessation therapies.
A double-blind sham-controlled trial evaluates the efficacy of intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) as a neuromodulation intervention for negative symptoms in schizophrenia, addressing a key limitation of current pharmacotherapy.
This randomized controlled trial compares the clinical efficacy, safety, and EEG functional connectivity changes of two accelerated deep TMS protocols (18-Hz rTMS vs. iTBS) for major depressive disorder.
Clinical Pearl 2
This editorial summarizes case reports highlighting psilocybin's potential for OCD, lithium pharmacokinetics interactions with vitamin C, and adverse events including VTE from antipsychotics and vasculitis from SSRIs.
A randomized crossover trial investigates the effects of a herbal supplement (Scutellaria baicalensis/Crataegus laevigata) combined with magnesium and chromium on stressed individuals, providing clinical data on a non-prescription intervention for stress management.
Neuroscience 1
New research links insulin resistance to gray matter loss and cognitive impairment in bipolar disorder, suggesting potential for metabolic interventions like GLP-1 agonists.
Journal Article 5
A meta-analysis confirms that methylphenidate is associated with small but significant reductions in height and weight Z-scores in children and adolescents with ADHD, supporting the need for individualized growth monitoring during treatment.
Meta-analyses in JAMA Psychiatry confirm IV ketamine's rapid efficacy for suicidal ideation and highlight lumateperone's symptom reduction despite high discontinuation rates due to side effects in treatment-resistant depression.
This network meta-analysis compares the efficacy and tolerability of antidopaminergic versus muscarinic antipsychotics for acute schizophrenia, providing evidence-based guidance for prescribing decisions in this population.
A real-world cohort study investigates the risk of treatment-emergent mania in children and adolescents initiating antidepressants, addressing ongoing debate regarding this adverse effect in pediatric populations.
This meta-analysis evaluates the pharmacological modulation of panic responses using the 35% CO2 inhalation model, providing evidence for the efficacy of various drug classes in treating panic disorder.