neuroscience-based nomenclature - Page 1

When the Med Fits but the Label Doesn’t

August 10, 2025

We use medications for reasons that don’t match their names. That’s why some clinicians are turning to Neuroscience-Based Nomenclature (NbN)—a system that classifies meds by mechanism instead of indication.

Neuroscience-Based Nomenclature: Significance to Psychiatrists

September 3, 2024

Heidi Moawad, MD and Chris Aiken, MD

Heidi Moawad, MD. Neurologist and teaching faculty, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Chris Aiken, MD. Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Psychiatry Report. Assistant Professor, NYU Langone Department of Psychiatry. Practicing psychiatrist, Winston-Salem, NC.

The authors have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

NbN helps to address stigma by emphasizing the pharmacological properties of medications rather than terms that may lead to misunderstandings among patients and their families

What Is Neuroscience-Based Nomenclature?

April 1, 2024

Heidi Moawad, MD

Heidi Moawad, MD. Clinical assistant professor, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH.

Dr. Moawad has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Tired of patients and families who react to categories of medications with confusion and fear? We use ‘antidepressants’ for OCD, and ‘antipsychotics’ for irritability. These are not accurate descriptions. Our clinical update on Neurocience-Based Nomenclature will help you use NbN to clarify your treatment plans and reduce stigma for patients and families.