Monday, May 10, 2004

The Use of Dual-Action Antidepressants in the Treatment of Depression
Article at Medscape Psychiatry & Mental Health - " Since the late 1980s, with the introduction of fluoxetine, the first selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant, the treatment of depression has become much more of a commonplace phenomenon. The SSRIs' efficacy, side-effect profile, and safety allowed the pharmacologic treatment of depression to take a huge leap. Because of the ease of prescribing these agents and their wide therapeutic index, nonpsychiatric practitioners increasingly began to utilize them in the treatment of depression in primary care settings. However, it quickly became apparent that the SSRIs were not a panacea for the treatment of depression. As much as 30% to 40% of patients did not respond to these agents, and many responders never did achieve full remission of their depressive symptoms. Onset of action continued to be slow, with at least 3-4 weeks needed to assess if the medication would be effective. SSRIs were not free of side effects, with sexual dysfunction, gastrointestinal effects, and increased anxiety commonplace complaints from patients..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

One Drug Treats Both Sides of Bipolar Disorder
Health Day News story at Yahoo - "For the first time, doctors have found a single drug that can treat both the manic and depressive phases of bipolar disorder. The antipsychotic medication Seroquel currently is approved for short-term treatment of acute manic episodes. But findings presented May 5 at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in New York City show it also is effective in treating depressive episodes. The study involved a randomized trial of 542 patients with bipolar depression at 39 sites in the United States..."  
  

The Disability Movement Turns to Brains
May 9 New York Times story - "As the number of Americans with brain disorders grows, so has skepticism toward the grab bag of syndromes they are being tagged with, from A.D.D. to Asperger's to bipolar I, II or III. But in a new kind of disabilities movement, many of those who deviate from the shrinking subset of neurologically "normal" want tolerance, not just of their diagnoses, but of their behavioral quirks. They say brain differences, like body differences, should be embraced, and argue for an acceptance of 'neurodiversity.' And as psychiatrists and neurologists uncover an ever-wider variety of brain wiring, the norm, many agree, may increasingly be deviance..." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Therapy in America 2004 Poll Shows: Mental Health Treatment Goes Mainstream
PR Newswire press release - "More than one in four American adults has received treatment for a mental health problem in the past two years, via talk therapy, medication, or a combination of the two, according to Therapy in America 2004, a new Harris Interactive poll. This groundbreaking survey is the first of its kind to examine consumer trends and attitudes in mental health treatment. The study was conducted this March using a nationwide phone survey of 501 adults and a follow-up online survey of 1,731 people known to have needed or received treatment..."