Clinical Psychiatry News RSS feed: Current Issue. To order this journal, and for more information, go to http://www.imng.com/ Clinical Psychiatry News is an independent newspaper that provides the practicing psychiatrist with timely and relevant news and commentary about clinical developments in the field and about the impact of health care policy on the specialty and the physician's practice.http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Clinical Psychiatry News0270-6644381January 2010 © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700011/abstract?rss=yesThe approval of olanzapine for two pediatric indications—the treatment of schizophrenia and of manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar I disorder in adolescents aged 13 to 17 years—comes with a precaution.FDA Advises Caution in Olanzapine Use in TeensELIZABETH MECHCATIE10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70001-1Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News11http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700023/abstract?rss=yesHONOLULU — These days, nearly every adolescent has experience with online social networks such as MySpace and Facebook, but the value of this activity has been questioned by medical professionals.Clues From Adolescent Online Activity Can Be Of Value in TherapyROBERT FINN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70002-3Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News11http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700035/abstract?rss=yesClinical Psychiatry News is changing its look and content to meet your information needs. Over the past year, we listened as our readers and editorial advisers described how they want to read the news.Clinical Psychiatry News: Kicks Off With a New LookGina L. Henderson, Mary Jo Dales10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70003-5Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News22http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700047/abstract?rss=yesWASHINGTON — The number of teenagers reporting marijuana use is up slightly over the last 2 years, along with the proportion of those reporting any illicit drug use, according to the biannual Monitoring the Future survey, which is conducted for the National Institute on Drug Abuse.Teen Marijuana Use Edges Up; Meth Use Lowest Since 1999ALICIA AULT10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70004-7Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News22http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700059/abstract?rss=yesVital Signs: Who's to Blame for the Health Care System's Problems?10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70005-9Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News22http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700060/abstract?rss=yesWill 2010 be the year of health reform? Many members of Congress hope it will be, but they will have a fight on their hands from some of their colleagues. In a speech to a joint session Congress last February—almost a year ago—President Obama told legislators he wanted a health reform bill on his desk soon.Democrats Hoping to Finish Health ReformJOYCE FRIEDEN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70006-0Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News33http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700072/abstract?rss=yesThe Health and Human Services Department has released long-awaited, proposed “meaningful use” criteria for providers interested in receiving bonuses of up to $64,000 for installing or upgrading electronic health information systems.Proposed EHR ‘Meaningful Use’ Criteria Are ReleasedJOYCE FRIEDEN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70007-2Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News33http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700084/abstract?rss=yesHONOLULU — Investigators in Australia have found that group psychotherapy significantly increases the chance that an adolescent who has engaged in deliberate self-harm will repeat that behavior, according to a randomized controlled trial of 72 individuals.More Self-Harm Episodes in Teens in Group TherapyROBERT FINN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70008-4Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News44http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700096/abstract?rss=yesApproximately 1% of 8-year-old children in the United States meet criteria for an autism spectrum disorder, based on results of a nationwide study of 8-year-olds conducted in 2006, according to findings published in a surveillance summary as part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.Prevalence of ASD Increased by 57% in American 8-Year-OldsHEIDI SPLETE10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70009-6Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News44http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700102/abstract?rss=yesBETHESDA, MD. — Current trends in the increase in the number of Americans aged 65 years and older could have significant implications for managing substance abuse in this population.Substance Abuse Trends Upward as Boomers AgeRENEE MATTHEWS10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70010-2Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News66http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700114/abstract?rss=yesOver the last few years, there has been a sea change in how state governments and some physicians think about marijuana as a medicine. Most recently, the American Medical Association's House of Delegates approved a policy recommending that the federal government review its classification of marijuana. Its current designation, as a Schedule I controlled substance, limits the ability of researchers to evaluate the drug's usefulness as a medical therapy, the AMA said. The new AMA policy states that the goal of the reclassification should be to ease the conduct of clinical research and the development of cannabinoid-based medicines and alternate delivery models.AMA Seeks Reclassification of Marijuana for Use in ResearchMARY ELLEN SCHNEIDER10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70011-4Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News66http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700126/abstract?rss=yesThe rate of infection from sexually transmitted diseases is not slowing down—particularly among adolescent girls and African Americans, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.STDs Continue to Increase in Teens, MinoritiesLORINDA BULLOCK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70012-6Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News88http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700138/abstract?rss=yesAntiepileptic drugs and lithium do not increase the risk of attempted suicide in patients with bipolar disorder, according to a recent report that was published in the Archives of General Psychiatry.Antiepileptics Don't Raise Bipolar Suicide RiskMARY ANN MOON10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70013-8Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1News99http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS027066441070014X/abstract?rss=yesAs we look forward to 2010, we asked our Clinical Psychiatry News Editorial Advisory Board members for their top predictions for psychiatry. They discussed issues ranging from advances toward treating trauma to a focus on helping patients tackle obesity. Here, in no particular order, are five of our editorial advisers' predictions for the New Yyear.Predictions for the Year Ahead in Psychiatry10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70014-XClinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Opinion1010http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700151/abstract?rss=yes DR. JELLINEK is chief of child psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of psychiatry and of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, both in Boston. When providing care for troubled adolescents, a series of progressive steps can be undertaken. Such interventions prove helpful for many teenagers. But for others, things don't get better, and community intervention begins.Help Teens Develop Strong Sense of SelfMICHAEL S. JELLINEK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70015-1Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Expert Commentary1313http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700163/abstract?rss=yes DR. EASTERN practices dermatology and dermatologic surgery in Belleville, N.J. A brand new year has begun, and that, as usual, means brand new surprises from our friends at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.A Farewell to Consultation CodesJOSEPH S. EASTERN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70016-3Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Expert Commentary1313http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700175/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — Patients with major depression vary widely in their fitness to drive an automobile, depending on their antidepressant regimen, according to a German study. Patients on mirtazapine (Remeron), reboxetine (Vestra), and quetiapine (Seroquel) displayed substantially less psychomotor impairment and scored substantially higher on the standardized tests of global driving ability used in Germany than did patients on tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), or venlafaxine (Effexor), Dr. Gerd Laux reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.Fitness to Drive Depends On Antidepressant TypeBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70017-5Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry1919http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700187/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — The novel antidepressant agomelatine proved more effective and better tolerated than fluoxetine for treating severe major depressive disorder in a large clinical trial.Agomelatine Bests Established Drug Therapies for DepressionBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70018-7Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry1919http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700199/abstract?rss=yesParoxetine appears to exert beneficial effects on two dimensions of personality—neuroticism and extraversion—that are distinct from its effect on depression. If this finding from a study of 240 adults with moderate to severe major depressive disorder is confirmed in larger studies, it means the positive personality changes reported by many patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are not the “inconsequential byproduct of depression improvement” they have been assumed to be, but are instead a direct pharmacologic effect of the drugs, said Tony Z. Tang, Ph.D., of Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., and his associates.Paroxetine Shows Effect on Neuroticism and ExtraversionMARY ANN MOON10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70019-9Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry1919http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700205/abstract?rss=yesPeople with bipolar disorder and concomitant substance abuse or eating disorders have abnormal neural activity in response to facial expressions. The findings suggest that bipolar disorder might be associated with functional abnormalities in neural systems that influence mood regulation.Are Neural Abnormalities and Bipolar Linked?CAROLINE HELWICK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70020-5Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2020http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700217/abstract?rss=yesLevels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the blood could serve as a state-dependent biomarker of bipolar disorder, based on the finding that levels are abnormal in manic and depressed bipolar states.BDNF Level Could Be Used As a Biomarker for BipolarCAROLINE HELWICK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70021-7Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2020http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700229/abstract?rss=yesUnipolar and bipolar depression are not associated with any major deficit in the sensory aspects of gustatory and olfactory function or altered hedonic ratings of chemosensory stimuli, a Polish study shows.Depression Not Associated With Gustatory, Olfactory FunctionCAROLINE HELWICK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70022-9Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2020http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700230/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — Although the list of drugs with demonstrated efficacy in acute mania is quite long, treatment outcomes aren't nearly as good as most psychiatrists believe, a new meta-analysis suggests.Functional Recovery in Acute Mania Is ElusiveBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70023-0Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2121http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700242/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — The use of tricyclic antidepressants to treat depression and/or anxiety was associated with a sharply increased risk of metabolic syndrome, compared with other antidepressant classes in a large prospective Dutch cohort study.Tricyclics Are Associated With Metabolic SyndromeBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70024-2Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2121http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700254/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — Doubling the standard 60-mg/day dose of duloxetine does not boost the response rate in patients hospitalized for severe depression. Underscoring the drug's broad safety margin, however, the tolerability and safety of duloxetine (Cymbalta) at 120 mg/day were essentially the same as at 60 mg/day in this population, Dr. Stephan Brecht reported at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.Doubling Duloxetine Does Not Up Response Rate in DepressionBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70025-4Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2121http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700266/abstract?rss=yesDysfunction indicated by abnormal cerebral blood volume in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampal formation is associated with schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders to the extent that it predicts disease progression in prodromal patients and correlates with clinical symptoms in both prodromal and schizophrenia patients, a small study has found.CA1 Activity Flags Path of SchizophreniaRENEE MATTHEWS10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70026-6Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2222http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700278/abstract?rss=yesPosttraumatic stress disorder can worsen outcomes in people with bipolar I disorder, as measured by a lower likelihood of recovery, greater proportion of rapid cycling periods, increased risk of suicide attempts, and worse quality of life.PTSD Spells Worse Outcomes for BipolarCAROLINE HELWICK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70027-8Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2222http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS027066441070028X/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — Discontinuing maintenance antipsychotic therapy at the 2-year mark after a first episode of schizophrenia might not be in the best interest of most patients, a small prospective study suggests.Relapses Seen After Stopping AntipsychoticsBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70028-XClinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2222http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700291/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — Long-term maintenance therapy with a second-generation antipsychotic plus a mood stabilizer in patients with bipolar mania brought additional efficacy beyond that of a mood stabilizer alone in two randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials.Combination Therapy Steadies Bipolar ManiaBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70029-1Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Adult Psychiatry2323http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700308/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — The side effects of second-generation antipsychotics in young people vary not just by agent, but also by psychiatric diagnosis. In a soon-to-be-published study involving 90 young patients on antipsychotic therapy, the 31 who were being treated for bipolar disorder experienced significantly greater weight gain over the course of 3 months than did the 29 patients with other psychotic disorders, who in turn gained significantly more weight than those with nonpsychotic disorders, Dr. Mara Parellada said at the annual congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology.Side Effects Vary by DiagnosisBruce Jancin10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70030-8Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Child/Adolescent Psychiatry2626http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS027066441070031X/abstract?rss=yesSAN DIEGO — Adolescents with a history of alcohol use report a significant range of risk behaviors for problematic substance use and other problem behaviors, a study of adolescents being treated in the emergency department for an alcohol-related incident shows.Teens in ED: Look at ‘Broader Clinical Picture’DOUG BRUNK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70031-XClinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Child/Adolescent Psychiatry2727http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700321/abstract?rss=yesChildren and adolescents rapidly gain substantial weight on a short course of the atypical antipsychotic medications aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone, according to a report in the JAMA.Short Course of Atypicals Led to Rapid Weight GainMARY ANN MOON10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70032-1Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Child/Adolescent Psychiatry2727http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700333/abstract?rss=yesATLANTA — A single, traumatic injury is associated with more psychiatric diagnoses and more psychotropic medication prescriptions among children and adolescents than among those uninjured, according to a prospective, cohort study.Single Traumatic Injury Lifts Psychopathology RiskDAMIAN McNAMARA10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70033-3Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Child/Adolescent Psychiatry2828http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700345/abstract?rss=yesATLANTA — Parental distress can prolong and worsen a child's experience after a shared traumatic event, according to a survey of 183 parents who survived the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia in 2004.Post-Tsunami Parent Stress Predicts Child PTSD RiskDAMIAN McNAMARA10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70034-5Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Child/Adolescent Psychiatry2828http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700357/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — Flexibly dosed ziprasidone displayed favorable safety and efficacy in children and adolescents with bipolar I disorder in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.Ziprasidone Appears Safe, Effective in Pediatric BipolarBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70035-7Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Child/Adolescent Psychiatry2828http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700369/abstract?rss=yesCHICAGO — Volumetric reduction of the hippocampus has emerged as a promising noninvasive imaging biomarker for prodromal and early stages of Alzheimer's disease. The hippocampus was the site of the most dramatic changes in patients with single-domain mild cognitive impairment (memory loss), compared with normal controls. This part of the brain is therefore one of the most significant regions of interest for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), said Dr. David S. Karow of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Medical Center.Hippocampal Atrophy May Predict Alzheimer'sSUSAN BIRK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70036-9Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Geriatric Psychiatry2929http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700370/abstract?rss=yesIn some patients who die at very old age, the brain might show the classic pathologic features of Alzheimer's disease even though the patient did not exhibit dementia, according George M. Savva, Ph.D., of the University of Cambridge, and his associates.Alzheimer Pathology May Belie Dementia StatusMARY ANN MOON10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70037-0Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Geriatric Psychiatry2929http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700382/abstract?rss=yesVIENNA — Statin treatment may reduce the risk of later dementia by more than 50%, a national Finnish study has determined. “Disturbances in cholesterol metabolism have previously been linked to dementia development,” Dr. Alina Solomon wrote in a poster presented at the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease. However, she noted not all studies have concluded that statins confer a protective effect against dementia onset.Statins May Decrease Rate of Dementia by More Than 50%MICHELE G. SULLIVAN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70038-2Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Geriatric Psychiatry2929http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700394/abstract?rss=yesSAN DIEGO — Alcohol-dependent patients with a supportive significant other have a greater reduction in drinking-related consequences over time, compared with those without such support, results from an exploratory analysis demonstrate.Social Support Lowers Dependence on AlcoholDOUG BRUNK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70039-4Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Addiction Psychiatry3434http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700400/abstract?rss=yesBOSTON — Physicians can go a long way toward helping their patients successfully quit smoking by thinking about tobacco dependence as a chronic disease, according to Dr. Donald J. Brideau Jr., a family physician in Alexandria, Va.Treat Tobacco Dependence as a Chronic DiseaseMARY ELLEN SCHNEIDER10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70040-0Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Addiction Psychiatry3535http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700412/abstract?rss=yesSAN DIEGO — During short-term abstinence from nicotine, alcohol-dependent cigarette smokers experience greater negative affect-related craving to smoke and more persistent negative affect, compared with cigarette smokers who are not alcohol dependent.Nicotine Craving Greater in Alcohol-Dependent SmokersDOUG BRUNK10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70041-2Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Addiction Psychiatry3535http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700424/abstract?rss=yesMONTREAL — The first real-world effectiveness trial of varenicline for smoking cessation showed that combining the medication with behavioral counseling results in fairly substantial quit rates at 6 months.Varenicline With Counseling Helps in Smoking CessationKATE JOHNSON10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70042-4Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Addiction Psychiatry3535http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700436/abstract?rss=yesBALTIMORE — Women who abduct pregnant women so that they can take their fetuses are not necessarily mentally ill, results from a study of 18 such cases suggest. “Very few of these perpetrators were psychotic at the time of the offense,” Dr. Brett DiGiovanna and colleagues of the University of Pittsburghwrote in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law. “More commonly, fetal abduction represented a desperate and extreme attempt to obtain a child.” The poster was entitled, “Womb Raiders: Fetal Abduction by Cesarean Section.”Fetal Abductors Are Often Not Mentally IllJOYCE FRIEDEN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70043-6Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Forensic Psychiatry3636http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700448/abstract?rss=yesBALTIMORE — A small retrospective study of prisoners in Kentucky undergoing competency evaluations resulted in a finding that African American evaluees were more likely to be found not responsible for their crimes. In addition, African American evaluees were more than twice as likely to be found to be psychotic than were their white counterparts, the researchers found.Competency Evaluation Findings Differ by RaceJOYCE FRIEDEN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70044-8Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Forensic Psychiatry3636http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS027066441070045X/abstract?rss=yesBALTIMORE — Incarcerated offenders diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder are more likely to report problems with social functioning and to have a higher suicide risk score, a study has found.Inmates With PTSD Have Higher Scores on MINI-PLUSJOYCE FRIEDEN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70045-XClinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Forensic Psychiatry3636http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700461/abstract?rss=yesBANGKOK, THAILAND — Far from affecting only white matter, multiple sclerosis seems to strike at gray matter as well, causing atrophy of brain structures that correlates with disease duration and declining cognitive function.Imaging Suggests Gray Matter Atrophy in MSMICHELE G. SULLIVAN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70046-1Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Neurology4242http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700473/abstract?rss=yesBANGKOK, THAILAND — Patients with multiple sclerosis who abruptly discontinue natalizumab treatment may develop a sudden surge in the number of gadolinium enhancing lesions apparent on imaging, which seems to resolve by 9 months.Lesions in MS May Resurge After Halting NatalizumabMICHELE G. SULLIVAN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70047-3Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Neurology4242http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700485/abstract?rss=yesPHILADELPHIA — Chronic migraine is a much more disabling disorder than episodic migraine, causing patients to miss more than five times as many days of work, school, or household activity, according to a new subanalysis of the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention Study.Disability in Chronic Migraine Is Age RelatedMICHELE G. SULLIVAN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70048-5Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Pain Medicine4444http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700497/abstract?rss=yesPHILADELPHIA — The comorbidities of anxiety and depression may not portend poorer outcome in patients being treated for severe migraine. In fact, compared with patients who did not have anxiety or depression, patients with those disorders actually experienced greater improvement in their headache-related disability scores in a study conducted over 16 months, said Elizabeth Seng, a doctoral student in the department of psychology at Ohio University, Athens.Psychiatric Comorbidities Do Not Interfere With Headache TreatmentMICHELE G. SULLIVAN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70049-7Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Pain Medicine4444http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700503/abstract?rss=yesPHILADELPHIA — Migraine with aura seems to be a risk factor for cervical artery dissection, Dr. Ville Artto concluded in a poster presented at the International Headache Congress.Migraine a Risk Factor for Cervical Artery DissectionMICHELE G. SULLIVAN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70050-3Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Pain Medicine4444http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700515/abstract?rss=yesPHILADELPHIA — Patients with lupus have a high prevalence of depression, which may be linked to the cardiovascular disease that's also highly prevalent in lupus patients. Cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular risk “may precipitate development of depression in patients with lupus,” Laura Julian, Ph.D., said at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. It's also possible that depression in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) exacerbates cardiovascular disease by making patients poorly compliant with treatment. “The relationship between cardiovascular disease and depression [in lupus patients] may be bidirectional,”she said.CVD May Be Linked to Depression in LupusMITCHEL L. ZOLER10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70051-5Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Psychosomatic Medicine4545http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700527/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — The novel sleep aid eplivanserin proved to be well tolerated, with no effects on next-day cognitive or psychomotor performance, whether given alone or in combination with zolpidem in a randomized, double-blind, placebo- and benzodiazepine-controlled crossover trial.Eplivanserin Beats Flurazepam On Next-Day Cognitive EffectsBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70052-7Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Psychosomatic Medicine4545http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700539/abstract?rss=yesISTANBUL, TURKEY — Early marked reduction in pain in response to duloxetine proved to be the strongest predictor of significant long-term improvement in depressive symptoms in depressed subjects in the German PADRE study.Early Pain Reduction Flags Greater Duloxetine EfficacyBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70053-9Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Psychosomatic Medicine4545http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700540/abstract?rss=yesDermatologists may be the first medical professionals to see patients with some types of psychiatric disorders, so an understanding of the skin manifestations that can occur with these conditions is important.Psychiatry, Dermatology Patients Can OverlapROBERT FINN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70054-0Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Across Specialties4646http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700552/abstract?rss=yesBERLIN — Half of a consecutive series of patients with severe chronic spontaneous urticaria proved to have a previously undiagnosed psychiatric disorder in a multidisciplinary prospective study.Psychiatric Comorbidity Is Seen in Half of Chronic Urticaria PatientsBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70055-2Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Across Specialties4646http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700564/abstract?rss=yesBERLIN — Impaired sexual function is extremely common in the setting of moderate to severe psoriasis, and ustekinumab therapy reduces these problems by 10-fold. That's a key quality-of-life finding from the ongoing randomized double-blind phase III PHOENIX-1 and −2 clinical trials of this human monoclonal antibody directed against the proinflammatory cytokines interkeukin-12 and −23, Dr. Lyn Guenther cported at the annual congress of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.Ustekinumab Aids Sexual Function in PsoriasisBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70056-4Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Across Specialties4646http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700576/abstract?rss=yesORLANDO — A 40-year-old man faces a 1-in-8 lifetime risk of sudden cardiac death, according to a Framingham Heart Study analysis. To place that risk in context, it's useful to consider the competing risks posed by other diseases for which lifetime risk estimates at age 40 are available. For example, a 40-year-old man faces a 1-in-16 lifetime risk of colon cancer, a 1-in-12 risk of lung cancer, a 1-in-6 risk of prostate cancer, and a 1-in-20 risk of hip fracture, Dr. Donald M. Lloyd-Jones noted at the annual scientific sessions of the American Heart Association.Men at Higher Risk of Sudden Cardiac DeathBRUCE JANCIN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70057-6Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Across Specialties4848http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700588/abstract?rss=yesIf you want to see the impact that health care costs have had on corporate America, just take a look at the measures some companies are taking to encourage employee health. Paid leave, reduced insurance copayments and premium shares, as well as straight cash rewards are among the inducements corporations now offer employees who participate in company-sponsored wellness programs centered on weight loss, smoking cessation, healthy eating, and ongoing management of chronic diseases.Companies Spend Big On Wellness ProgramsERIK L. GOLDMAN10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70058-8Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Practice Trends4949http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS027066441070059X/abstract?rss=yesWant more health reform news? Subscribe to our podcast – search “Policy & Practice” in the iTunes store The Senate has confirmed Pamela Hyde as the new administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Ms. Hyde was appointed to the position by President Obama. She was formerly secretary of the New Mexico Human Services Department since 2003, and was also a chief executive of a nonprofit behavioral health care organization and was a director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health. She holds a law degree from the University of Michigan.Policy & PracticeAlicia Ault10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70059-XClinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Practice Trends4949http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700606/abstract?rss=yesEven the experts say it's a tough call to diagnose a child—particularly a young child—with bipolar disorder, making for enigmatic medication decisions in the pediatric population.Combo Therapy Is the Rule in Pediatric BipolarBetsy Bates10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70060-6Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Practical Psychopharmacology5252http://www.clinicalpsychiatrynews.com/article/PIIS0270664410700618/abstract?rss=yesThree free booklets on medication-assisted treatment for opioid addiction are available from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The booklets have information on medication options, proper use of medications, common side effects, and the process of recovery. “The Facts About Naltrexone for Treatment of Opioid Addiction,” “The Facts About Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction,” and “Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction: Facts for Families and Friends,” can be ordered at http://ncadistore.samhsa.gov.FYI10.1016/S0270-6644(10)70061-8Clinical Psychiatry News 38, 1 (2010)2010-01-01Clinical Psychiatry News2010-01-01381S0270-6644(10)X7001-1Practice Trends5353