Using Measurement-Based Care as a Precision Medicine Strategy for Substance Use Disorders
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPrecision medicine prioritizes characterization of individual patient parameters to optimize care and this review evaluates measurement-based care (MBC) as a strategy for doing so in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Measurement-based care refers to the systematic use of validated assessments to inform diagnosis and treatment planning, with varying frequency of assessments. Despite the seemingly obvious grounds for the use of MBC in treating SUD, systematic implementation to date has been limited. Thus, the goal of this review is to evaluate efforts to date and to stimulate greater co...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - March 15, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Biomarkers of Bipolar Disorder in Late Life: An Evidence-Based Systematic Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewReview the current evidence on biomarkers for bipolar disorder in the older adults. We conducted a systematic search of PubMed MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases using the MeSH search terms"Biomarkers","Bipolar Disorder","Aged" and and “Aged, 80 and over”. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) the mean age of the study population was 50 years old or older, (2) the study included patients with bipolar disorder, and (3) the study examined one type of biomarkers or more including genetic, neuroimaging, and biochemical biomarkers. R...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - March 12, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Sex Differences in Stress Susceptibility as a Key Mechanism Underlying Depression Risk
AbstractPurpose of ReviewAlthough females are at relatively greater risk for a variety of disorders, including depression, the biological mechanisms underlying this striking health disparity remain unclear. To address this issue, we highlight sex differences in stress susceptibility as a key mechanism potentially driving this effect and describe the interacting inflammatory, hormonal, epigenomic, and social-environmental mechanisms involved.Recent FindingsUsing the Social Signal Transduction Theory of Depression as a theoretical framework, women ’s elevated risk for depression may stem from a tight link between life stre...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - March 12, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
The Impact of Maternal Interpersonal Violent Trauma and Related Psychopathology on Child Outcomes and Intergenerational Transmission
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review aims to outline some consequences that maternal history of trauma with and without related psychopathology, such as posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), can have on their children ’s development and functioning. It then addresses mechanisms through which intergenerational transmission of interpersonal violence (IPV) and related psychopathology may occur.Recent FindingsFindings include the effects of maternal IPV experience and related psychopathology on child social-emotional and biologically-based outcomes. This includes increased developmental disturbances and child psychopathology...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - March 1, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Dynamic Protective Factors Relevant to Sexual Offending
AbstractPurpose of ReviewFocusing on protective factors rather than risk factors potentially better aligns assessment with strengths-based treatment. We examine research into the assessment of protective factors to see whether it can play this role relative to sexual offending.Recent FindingsStructured asses sment of protective factors is well developed relative to violent offending but only recently studied relative to sexual offending. Nevertheless, multiple measures of protective factors have now been trialed with men who have committed sexual offenses and shown to predict reduced recidivism. Although research into indi...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 24, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Recent Advances in the Treatment of Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Narrative Review of Literature Published from 2018 to 2023
AbstractPurpose of ReviewWe review recent advances in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a disorder with very limited treatment options until recently. We examine advances in psychotherapeutic, psychopharmacologic, and interventional psychiatry approaches to treatment of TRD. We also highlight various definitions of TRD in recent scientific literature.Recent FindingsRecent evidence suggests some forms of psychotherapy can be effective as adjunctive treatments for TRD, but not as monotherapies alone. Little recent evidence supports the use of adjunctive non-antidepressant pharmacotherapies such as bupren...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 22, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Update on Cognitive Enhancers Among the Older Adult Population: A Clinical Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to identify key classes of medications that are used for the treatment of older adults with neurocognitive disorders.Recent FindingsClinical factors play a critical role in the prescribing of these medication classes for the treatment of dementia. The variation in prescribing trends is determined by the presence of medical and psychiatric comorbidities commonly occurring in older adults and is based on the consideration of potential interactions between pharmacotherapies for the comorbidities and for the dementia. Six medication classes currently exist to address the n...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 21, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
A Criminological Perspective on the Sexual Victimization of Older Adults
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis review presents recent research on the sexual abuse of older adults and examines this phenomenon from a criminological perspective. Much of the previous work has neglected to consider the entirety of the crime-commission process. Therefore, the work highlighted in this review showcases important information regarding the individual who committed the crime, the victim, and the criminal event as a whole.Recent FindingsComparative studies suggest that the motivations of people who commit sexually victimize older adults are vast and can include those that are sexually and anger motivated, while th...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 13, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Reviewing the Evidence on Sibling Sexual Behaviour: Impact on Research, Policy and Practice
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThis paper reviews recent research into sibling sexual behaviour (SSB). This is an emerging professional and community issue that binds together a limited evidence base across research, practice and policy in psychology, criminology, politics, social work and policy studies. The review will demonstrate that a multi-disciplinary, life course, family system approach is the most effective way of starting to develop interventions to prevent and respond to this issue.Recent FindingsSSB has previously been researched as a form of intrafamilial abuse or sibling incest. As a result of this SSB is poorly an...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 12, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Palliative Care Psychiatry: Building Synergy Across the Spectrum
AbstractPurpose of ReviewPalliative care (PC) psychiatry is a growing subspecialty focusing on improving the mental health of those with serious medical conditions and their caregivers. This review elucidates the current practice and ongoing evolution of PC psychiatry.Recent FindingsPC psychiatry leverages training and clinical practices from both PC and psychiatry, addressing a wide range of needs, including enhanced psychiatric care for patients with serious medical illness, PC access for patients with medical needs in psychiatric settings, and PC-informed psychiatric approaches for individuals with treatment-refractory ...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 8, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
The Impact of Social Media Use on Sleep and Mental Health in Youth: a Scoping Review
AbstractPurpose of ReviewSocial media use (SMU) and other internet-based technologies are ubiquitous in today ’s interconnected society, with young people being among the commonest users. Previous literature tends to support that SMU is associated with poor sleep and mental health issues in youth, despite some conflicting findings. In this scoping review, we summarized relevant studies published within th e past 3 years, highlighted the impacts of SMU on sleep and mental health in youth, while also examined the possible underlying mechanisms involved. Future direction and intervention on rational use of SMU was discusse...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 8, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Childhood Sexual Abuse by Women of Boys Who Go On to Sexually Offend: Review and Critical Analysis
AbstractPurpose of ReviewSexual offending perpetrated by women has historically been overlooked and understudied, and the potentially unique impact of that abuse is even more so.Recent FindingsWomen who have sexually offended against children typically do so against older boys, use little or no forms of force or coercion during the abuse, and are unlikely to be prosecuted or sentenced following the abuse. Boys whom women have sexually abused are unlikely to report or disclose the abuse that they have experienced, perhaps because social structures surrounding sexual abuse of boys by women are designed to minimize, excuse, o...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 8, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Sex Differences in ADHD: Review and Priorities for Future Research
AbstractPurpose of reviewIn childhood, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is diagnosed three to 16 times more frequently in males compared to females, yet in adulthood, nearly equivalent numbers of males and females are diagnosed with ADHD. Relatively few studies have prioritized examination of sex differences in ADHD even though sex differences may have critical implications for the identification and treatment of ADHD in females and males. This review highlights current research on sex differences in ADHD across the lifespan that has emerged from cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal studies of youth,...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 7, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Attachment Theory and Sexual Offending: Making the Connection
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to discuss how attachment theory can be applied to explain sexual violence. Specifically, it discusses how the development of certain risk factors contributes to these behaviors and how attachment-based models can be used to address this issue through prevention and therapeutic interventions.Recent FindingsRecent research demonstrates that individuals who commit sexual offenses have higher rates of insecure attachment styles and that these styles are associated with a number of criminogenic risk factors associated with sexual offending. Such risk factors include cognit...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - February 6, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research
Cross-Cultural Validity of Sexual Recidivism Risk Assessments Using Static-99R, STABLE-2007, and the VRS-SO
AbstractPurpose of ReviewThe overrepresentation of certain racial/ethnic groups in criminal legal systems raises concerns about the cross-cultural application of risk assessment tools. We provide a framework for conceptualizing and measuring racial bias/fairness and review research for three tools assessing risk of sexual recidivism: Static-99R, STABLE-2007, and VRS-SO.Recent FindingsMost cross-cultural research examines Static-99R and generally supports its use with Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian men. Preliminary research also supports STABLE-2007 with Asian men. Findings are most concerning for Indigenous men, where S...
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - January 11, 2024 Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research