A case report describes temporary restoration of cognitive and functional abilities in an 80-year-old Alzheimer's patient following a single high dose of psilocybin, highlighting potential therapeutic avenues for dementia.
The Chicago VA Hospital has initiated a psilocybin-assisted therapy program for veterans with PTSD, reflecting evolving clinical approaches to this treatment modality.
A 'nudging' strategy in the emergency department increases prescriptions of alcohol-use-disorder medications, offering a practical method to expand access to pharmacotherapy for AUD.
A case report documents a switch to mania following lurasidone initiation in a bipolar I patient with subtherapeutic valproate levels, highlighting the risk of antidepressant-like switching even with atypical antipsychotics when mood stabilizers are inadequate.
A double-blind trial suggests adjunctive N-acetylcysteine accelerates symptom reduction in OCD patients on high-dose sertraline, particularly for obsessions, though it does not improve cognitive functioning.
Clinical Pearls
Bite-sized clinical takeaways from today's literature (sources from May 11 – Jun 09)
- Consider adding N-acetylcysteine as an adjunctive agent for OCD patients who have partial response to high-dose sertraline, particularly if obsessions remain prominent.
- Monitor closely for manic switching in bipolar I patients initiating lurasidone if their current mood stabilizer levels are subtherapeutic.
- Implement simple 'nudging' strategies in emergency department workflows to increase the prescription rate of alcohol-use-disorder medications.
- Be aware that atypical antipsychotics like lurasidone can precipitate mania in bipolar patients when underlying mood stabilization is inadequate, not just antidepressants.
- Recognize that adjunctive N-acetylcysteine may accelerate symptom reduction in OCD but should not be expected to improve cognitive functioning deficits.
- Utilize the emergency department as a critical point of intervention for initiating pharmacotherapy for Alcohol Use Disorder through structured prescribing nudges.
Diagnosis & Treatment 1
A case report describes transient functional improvement in advanced Alzheimer's disease following high-dose psilocybin, highlighting potential off-label psychopharmacologic applications for dementia behavioral symptoms.