A double-blind study demonstrates that low-dose amisulpride increases ventral striatum perfusion in MDD patients, providing mechanistic evidence for dopaminergic modulation of anhedonia.
This RCT demonstrates that adding modified cognitive stimulation therapy to standard pharmacotherapy (cholinesterase inhibitors/memantine) yields significant additional benefits in cognition and quality of life for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease, with efficacy predicted by baseline education and lifestyle factors.
A bipartisan legislative proposal aims to allow board-certified physicians to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder directly via pharmacy pickup, potentially bypassing current federal restrictions that limit methadone dispensing to specialized clinics.
A randomized clinical trial indicates that using personalized brain imaging to guide transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) improves outcomes for patients with treatment-resistant depression.
Personalized fMRI-guided targeting of accelerated TMS improves depression response rates to 80% compared to 60% with standard scalp targeting.
Clinical Pearls
Bite-sized clinical takeaways from today's literature (sources from Oct 30 – Jun 26)
- Consider prescribing centanafadine as a first-in-class NDSRI option for adults with ADHD who have comorbid anxiety, given its positive phase 3b trial results.
- Advocate for or prepare for legislative changes that may allow board-certified physicians to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder directly via pharmacy pickup, bypassing traditional clinic restrictions.
- Utilize personalized brain imaging to guide transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) targeting in patients with treatment-resistant depression to improve clinical outcomes.
- Monitor cardiovascular risk profiles when initiating SSRIs versus non-SSRI antidepressants, referencing recent meta-analyses on stroke risk differences in psychiatric prescribing.
- Consider low-dose amisulpride for MDD patients presenting with prominent anhedonia, as it mechanistically increases ventral striatum perfusion via dopaminergic modulation.
- Implement personalized fMRI-guided targeting for accelerated TMS protocols to potentially increase depression response rates from 60% to 80% compared to standard scalp targeting.
- Add modified cognitive stimulation therapy to standard pharmacotherapy (cholinesterase inhibitors/memantine) for mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease to achieve significant additional benefits in cognition and quality of life.
- Assess baseline education and lifestyle factors when treating Alzheimer's disease, as these variables predict the efficacy of adjunctive cognitive stimulation therapy.
Diagnosis & Treatment 1
This meta-analysis compares stroke risk between patients treated with SSRIs versus non-SSRI antidepressants, providing evidence relevant to cardiovascular safety in psychiatric prescribing.
Drug Development 1
Otsuka reports positive phase 3b trial results for centanafadine in adults with ADHD and comorbid anxiety, supporting its pending FDA approval as a first-in-class NDSRI.