Advances in the Treatment of Psychotic Depression

AbstractPurpose of reviewOur aim was to update the current understanding of effective treatment strategies for major depression with psychotic features (MDPSY).Recent findingsMost treatment guidelines recommend either the combination of an antidepressant with an antipsychotic or electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for the treatment of an acute episode of MDPSY. The optimal maintenance treatment after a person responds to either the antidepressant/antipsychotic combination or ECT is unclear particularly as it pertains to length of time the patient needs to take the antipsychotic medication. Further investigation into possible uses of ketamine, lithium carbonate, mifepristone, minocycline, and rTMS may produce possible new treatments in the future.SummaryUnfortunately, there is no FDA-approved treatment for MDPSY. The combination of an antidepressant and antipsychotic is significantly more effective than either antidepressant monotherapy or antipsychotic monotherapy for the acute treatment of MDPSY.
Source: Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research