Psychiatry and Mental Health

Host: Leslie Citrome, MD, MPH

Despite the advances that have been made with atypical antipsychotics indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia (SCZ), significant safety and efficacy concerns persist with these D2 blockers. Inadequate response to these treatments is common. Several emerging agents are undergoing phase 3 clinical trials. These new treatments possess unique mechanisms of action, encouraging efficacy profiles across positive, negative, and cognitive domains and favorable safety profiles that offer new hope for those living with SCZ. This educational series will cover accurately identifying individuals, including those in unique patient populations, who may benefit from switching to or augmentation with an emerging treatment option, how and when to incorporate switching or augmentation strategies, and how to integrate new therapies into current clinical practice.

Host: Ashley Baker, MSN, PMHNP

Guest: David Goodman, MD, LFAPA

ADHD is a lifelong disorder, but its symptoms like memory and concentration difficulties can often be misinterpreted as normal functions of aging. So to help address this misunderstanding, psychiatric nurse practitioner Ashley Baker speaks with Dr. David Goodman about essential diagnostic and treatment strategies for older adults with ADHD. Dr. Goodman is the Director of the Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Center of Maryland.

Host: Ashley Baker, MSN, PMHNP

Guest: Stoni Johnston, APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Insomnia is one of the common issues HCPs see in patients with ADHD, and narcolepsy can also have similar presentations of ADHD. So how can we accurately diagnose ADHD from a sleep disorder? Dive in as Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Ashley Baker is joined by Stoni Johnston, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Founder of Sulcata Psychiatry in Tomball, Texas.

Host: Michele Longo, MD

Medical gaslighting refers to the situation where a medical professional disregards an individual's health concerns. It most often affects patients suffering from neurological disorders like long COVID and MS, and it can be extremely damaging to the physician-patient relationship. This underscores the importance of knowing how to recognize and reduce medical gaslighting in clinical practice, which is why Dr. Michele Longo is here to discuss the “Healing Doubt: Confronting and Overcoming Medical Gaslighting” session she presented at the 2024 AAN Annual Meeting.

Guest: Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD

Cognitive rehabilitation in patients with multiple sclerosis started about 20 to 25 years ago when it transitioned from predominantly patients with traumatic brain injury to other patient populations including multiple sclerosis. And over that period of time, the number of studies that have examined the efficacy of cognitive rehabilitation in MS has grown substantially. However, gaps remain and further research is needed. Dive into to learn more about cognitive rehabilitation trials for MS with Dr. Nancy Chiaravalloti, Director of the Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research and the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation, who also presented a session on this topic at the ACTRIMS 2024 Forum.

Host: Ashley Baker, MSN, PMHNP

Guest: Morris Goldman, MD

Guest: Dara Sanandaji

A diagnosis of schizophrenia can be distressing, making clinical interventions crucial for both the patient and their family. With the assistance of an appropriate treatment plan and peer support, the patient can gain empowerment to take control of their life and pursue long-term goals. Joining Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Ashley Baker to discuss next steps following a schizophrenia diagnosis is Dr. Morris Goldman, Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, and Dara Sanandaji, Peer Support Supervisor at the Recovery from Early Psychosis Program.

Host: Ashley Baker, MSN, PMHNP

Guest: Hannah Brown, MD

Unfortunately, when it comes to the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia, there is nothing to definitively give clinicians a diagnosis, so it’s important to have a clinical evaluation and rule out everything else. But once a first episode psychosis diagnosis has been made, what treatment options are available? Dive into this episode with Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Ashley Baker who is joined by Dr. Hannah Brown, Director of the Wellness and Recovery After Psychosis Program at Boston Medical Center and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine.

Host: Andrew Wilner, MD, FACP, FAAN

Guest: Carri Polick, PhD, RN

Two recent studies linked childhood stress and stressors experienced across the lifespan to the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. In fact, both childhood and adult stressors were associated with MS disability and the so-called invisible symptoms of pain interference and psychiatric morbidity while only adult stressors were related to relapse burden. Joining Dr. Andrew Wilner to discuss these findings and how they may shift our approach to caring for patients with MS is Dr. Carri Polick, a postdoctoral fellow and VA scholar in the Duke National Clinician Scholars Program.

Host: Charles Turck, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP

Guest: Anibal Chertcoff, MD

According to a recent study, psychiatric conditions like depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may be early indicators of multiple sclerosis (MS) years before symptoms appear, which could enable the early diagnosis and treatment of patients with MS. Joining Dr. Charles Turck to share key details and findings from this study is Dr. Anibal Chertcoff. Not only is Dr. Chertcoff the lead author of the study, but he’s also a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia where his research centers on characterizing the multiple sclerosis prodrome.

Guest: Christena Raines, NP

Perinatal mood disorders are among the most common complications during pregnancy and immediately following delivery. So front line providers need to be able to initiate treatment. Perinatal Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at UNC Chapel Hill, Christena Raines, discusses her session at the 26th Annual Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Healthcare Conference and the importance of recognizing and treating perinatal mood disorders in our female patients.