Mental Health

Kanye West is an American rapper, record producer, fashion designer and is considered one of the most influential artists ever. His career spans over 20 years and since then, West has garnered various accolades, achievements and yes, billionaire status. But, behind all the public outbursts and Twitter tirades lies a very difficult battle with bipolar disorder. RELATED: What You Should Know About Halsey's Parents And How She Defied The Odds Of A Troubled Upbringing Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes mood swings and is characterized by emotional highs (which can be manic episodes), or depressive lows. The emotional highs, referred to as mania, are characterized by symptoms like impaired judgement., over-optimism and/or grandiosity. Other symptoms of a manic episode include "hallucinations or delusions, which can cause a sense of detachment from reality," according to The National Alliance on Mental Illness. Mental illnesses that are ch...

Following the success of the phase 3 EMERGENT-2 trial, researchers suggest that xanomeline-trospium could be a safe and effective treatment option for adults with schizophrenia. Xanomeline-trospium (KarXT; Karuna), an investigational drug for adults with schizophrenia, was found to be effective, safe, and tolerable, according to results from the phase 3 EMERGENT-2 trial. The phase 3 EMERGENT-2 trial used the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)—which measures the severity of schizophrenia symptoms—to assess the primary endpoint. The primary endpoint evaluated the ability of xanomeline-trospium to changethe PANSS total score from baseline after 5 weeks compared with placebo. Key secondary endpoints were baseline changes in PANSS positive, PANSS negative, and PANSS negative Marder factor subscale. "We are thrilled that these topline results from the phase 3 EMERGENT-2 trial confirm what was seen in our phase 2 EMERGENT-1 trial and underscore the potential for KarXT, with its...

In the last decade, methamphetamine (MA) use has substantially increased in rural America. These changes in the epidemiological trends could be attributed to the restricted availability of opioids after measures against the opioid epidemic were enforced. The availability of cheaper alternatives, such as fake prescriptions mixed with fentanyl, is a few among the many recent developments in the ongoing mental health and substance abuse crisis in rural America. A serious clinical effect of MA use is psychosis, which inadvertently has stretched mental health services. In recent times, the atypical clinical presentations of these psychotic episodes with a refractory course have challenged clinicians. Hence, the knowledge of its unique pharmacodynamics, neurotoxicity, similarities with schizophrenia amid the evolving empirical evidence is critical to addressing this unique conundrum. Introduction Stimulant use disorder affects between 0.3% and 1.1% of the...

Earlier this month, UK's King's College of London launched Cannabis & Me, a scientific study into the effects of cannabis on mental health, considered the largest cannabis study of its kind. The study, which aims to involve 6,000 participants, will research environmental and biological factors behind the different effects of cannabis consumption on the human brain and provide information to physicians in the UK and across the world for prescribing cannabis safely. The Medical Research Council (MRC) granted $2.8 million (£2.5 million) of funding for the study in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed its start. Cannabis & Me's lead researcher, Dr. Marta di Forti, has extensive experience studying cannabis from a psychiatric perspective. She published several studies about causal links between cannabis use and psychotic disorders over the years, and, in 2019, she obtained funding from the Maudsley Charity to develop the UK's first ...

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and schizophrenia are considered separate disorders. Both can vary a lot in their symptoms, but both affect how the brain develops. The two conditions may share similar symptoms, but there are key differences that are important to know in order to get a correct diagnosis. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) considers ASD to be a spectrum disorder since symptoms vary a lot from person to person. The main symptoms include both: restricted and repetitive behaviors difficulties communicating or being in social situations According to a 2019 review , some researchers also consider schizophrenia to be a spectrum disorder because of the variations in symptoms. The NIMH says that schizophrenia is usually diagnosed based on: symptoms of psychosis, like hallucinations and delusions negative (or missing) symptoms cognitive impairments People with schizophrenia may also have symptoms that are seen in ASD. On the other hand, 2018 research suggests that a...

There is no standard method for treating abandonment issues, says Dr. Corrigan. Rather, the main goals of treatment should be to, "establish a stable environment and build positive experiences with the primary caregiver to strengthen attachment." He recommends the following therapeutic approaches for treating fear of abandonment: Attachment-based therapy: Attachment-based therapy utilizes a strong, supportive client-therapist bond to address struggles with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Note that this therapy should not be confused with an unsafe practice called attachment therapy, which uses unconventional means such as restraints, to address attachment issues, cautions Dr. Corrigan. "Such methods are unproven, can cause damage and can result in death," he says. Behavioral therapy: Behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy focused on rooting out unhealthy patterns of behavior in order to ease or eliminate mental health symptoms. ...

A new—cough, cough—combination treatment for depression. Researchers performed an RCT of dextromethorphan-bupropion in major depressive disorder. RESEARCH UPDATE Partial or inadequate response to antidepressants—whose mechanisms primarily involve monoamine pathways—are common. 1,2 Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the glutamatergic system is also involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Dextromethorpahn is a N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and a sigma-1 receptor agonist, both of which modulate glutamate neurotransmission. The clinical utility of dextromethorphan is limited by extensive CYP2D6 metabolism. 3 AXS-05, an oral tablet that combines dextromethorphan and bupropion, is formulated to increase the bioavailability and half-life of dextromethorphan through inhibition of its metabolism by bupropion, and is under development for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The Current Study Tabuteau and colleagues 4 performed a phase 2, 6-week randomized ...

Anosognosia is a formal medical term that refers to a lack of awareness of having a mental health condition. Anosognosia can occur alongside various mental health conditions or affect people who have sustained a brain injury. Anosognosia is a neurological condition that affects how people view themselves and impairs their awareness of their mental health symptoms. It commonly affects people with certain mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. People with anosognosia may have no awareness of their condition or an inaccurate perception of it. In this article, we look at how anosognosia affects the brain, how people with anosognosia may behave, and how doctors approach the treatment and management of the condition. Anosognosia is a neurological condition in which people do not accept a mental health diagnosis. People may also describe a person with the condition as having a "lack of insight." The term anosognosia comes from the Greek for "to no...

In this CME article, examine how current DSM nosology defines the proper method of assessing a mixed-episode patient and which diagnostic labels to give them based on their presenting symptomatology. CATEGORY 1 CME Premiere Date:  August 20, 2022 Expiration Date : February 20, 2024 This activity offers CE credits for: 1. Physicians (CME) 2. Other All other clinicians either will receive a CME Attendance Certificate or may choose any of the types of CE credit being offered. ACTIVITY GOAL The goal of this activity is to explore historical and current diagnostic approaches toward patients who present in mixed affective states. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Explore historical and current diagnostic approaches toward patients who present in mixed affective states. 2. Examine how current DSM nosology defines the proper method of assessing a mixed-episode patient and which diagnostic labels to give them based on their presenting symptomatology. TARGET AUDIENCE This accredited continuing edu...