This study tested a self-guided mobile app in patients with moderate to severe depression who had not responded to at least 1 antidepressant trial. The Japanese app, called ­Kokoro, used cartoon characters to present concepts from CBT, including self-monitoring, behavioral activation, and cognitive restructuring.

Disorders of lipid metabolism—specifically inefficient metabolism of lipids—have been implicated as part of the metabolic complexity in children with autism spectrum disorder. Research points to the neuroprotective effects of simvastatin over other statins, due to its greater ability to cross the blood-brain barrier. But does that neuroprotection translate to differences in behavior?

Once patients with schizophrenia are stabilized on an antipsychotic in the acute phase of their treatment, guidelines are unclear on how to continue dosing. Some guidelines recommend lowering the dose, others recommend maintaining the dose, and others give no firm recommendations whatsoever.

A new study from Finland shows that lithium may be more effective than other treatments in reducing the risk of psychiatric rehospitalization in patients with bipolar disorder.

New evidence suggests that the prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is higher than previously documented. In this study, prevalence estimates were derived from 13,146 first-grade children in four U.S. communities between 2010 and 2016.

Acting on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, varenicline (Chantix) is an FDA-approved treatment for smoking cessation. These receptors are implicated in both nicotine and alcohol reward pathways, so could varenicline also be helpful for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD)?

Recent guidelines published by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and nationally in Australia provide support for transferring patients from methadone to buprenorphine-naloxone (BNX). Patients may switch, thinking BNX is easier to discontinue or because of methadone side effects.

From obsessions, compulsions, and tics, to personality changes and oppositional behavior, the symptoms of PANS are wide-ranging. PANDAS is considered a subset of PANS that is temporally associated with a Group A streptococcal (GAS) infection.

Emotional stress can trigger an inflammatory cascade response and increase blood levels of proinflammatory cytokines—including IL-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). These same inflammatory markers intensify in acute episodes of depression and mania.

Considering them less lethal than traditional cigarettes, many adolescents are turning to electronic cigarettes as a “safer” alternative to tobacco products.