NYU Langone Insights on Psychiatry – Details, episodes & analysis

For the final episode of Season 2, we're joined by Dr. Samuele Cortese, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Southampton (UK) and Adjunct Full Professor at NYU Langone. Together we explore the intersection of pediatric ADHD and precision psychiatry, including the disorder’s genetic underpinnings and evolving treatment options.

00:00 Introduction
00:54 Dr. Cortese's Research Journey
02:11 Global Perspectives and Challenges in ADHD Treatment
03:51 Advances in ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment
06:41 Role of Genetics in ADHD
09:33 Precision Treatment and Stratification
12:17 Treatment Adherence and Shared Decision-Making
23:55 Connection Between ADHD and Obesity
28:39 Non-Stimulant Alternatives and Future Directions in ADHD Treatment
32:16 Non-Pharmacological Treatments
37:28 Advice for Clinicians and Closing Thoughts

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Timothy Wilens is a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. His research interest include the relationship between ADHD, bipolar disorder, and substance use disorders; ADHD pharmacotherapy; and stimulant medication misuse.

On this episode, Dr. Wilens discusses the importance of early diagnosis and intervention in ADHD, as well as its lifelong implications. He takes us through the evolution of ADHD treatment, from behavioral therapies to modern pharmacological interventions, including stimulant and non-stimulant medications, and the application of digital therapeutics. The conversation also touches on the stigma surrounding ADHD, the role of precision medicine, and the future of ADHD research.

00:00 Introduction
02:50 Evolution of ADHD Treatment
04:43 Stigma and Misconceptions
12:18 Importance of Early Intervention
15:02 ADHD Symptoms and Treatment Approaches
30:02 Addressing Concerns About Stimulant Medications
35:50 Navigating the Complexities of ADHD Medication
41:22 Future of ADHD Research and Treatment
43:20 Conclusion

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Ronald Kessler is the McNeil Family Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School. His groundbreaking work on the social determinants of mental health, studied from an epidemiological perspective, has made him the most widely cited psychiatric researcher in the world.  In this wide-ranging conversation, he talks about precision psychiatry's enormous potential and incremental development, delving into his own efforts to better identify at-risk patients and predict treatment efficacy. Dr. Kessler stresses the need for better data and bigger studies, and envisions a future of AI-supported clinicians.

00:00 Introduction
00:53 Dr. Kessler's Journey to Precision Psychiatry
02:45 The Importance of Data
04:14 Risk Factors and Treatment Optimization
10:42 Successes and Challenges
13:23 The Importance of Baseline Information
23:46 Machine Learning in Veterans Health
24:27 Determining Suicide Risk
25:35 Interventions and Cost-Effectiveness
26:16 Esketamine Trials and Response Prediction
27:07 Risk Models and Comparative Risk Models
27:15 Insomnia Treatment in Military Personnel
29:36 Cost-Benefit Analyses
35:45 AI in Medicine and Patient Response
42:21 Future of Precision Psychiatry
45:51 Closing Remarks

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Petros Levounis is President of the American Psychiatric Association and a leader in addiction research. He joins host Thea Gallagher, PsyD, to talk about the latest in addiction medicine, the state of the opioid crisis, the growing problem of technology addiction, and the promise and risks of psychedelic medicine. He also shares his hopes for the future of psychiatry, including better integration of diagnoses, treatments, and outcomes for people with mental health disorders.

00:00 Introduction to NYU Langone Insights on Psychiatry
00:16 Dr. Levounis's role and priorities as APA president
00:46 The State of Addiction Medicine
02:12 Neurobiology of Addiction
03:37 Interplay Between Mental Health and Addiction
06:03 Potential and Challenges of Psychedelic Medicine
08:37 Cannabis and Tech Addictions
10:11 Addressing the Opioid Crisis: Strategies and Solutions
15:28 Addressing Technological Addictions
28:55 The Future of Psychiatry: Goals and Aspirations
35:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Starting this fall, we're releasing 12 more conversations with the best minds in psychiatry. Subscribe wherever you're listening, so you won't miss an episode.

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Carla Nasca is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at NYU Langone, where she studies epigenetic mechanisms of neuroplasticity to stress. Dr. Nasca's work led to the discovery of acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC), a metabolite found in the mitochondria, as a promising biological marker of depression.

Topics:

• acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC) and major depressive disorder
• How stress changes the brain on a structural/molecular level
• Risk factors for stress-induced disorders
• Machine learning

More information: https://www.cdr.rfmh.org/research/nasca-lab/

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Tanya Sippy is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and the Department of Neuroscience and Physiology at NYU Langone. She’s also Principal Investigator at the Sippy Lab and Associate Director of the Psychedelic Medicine Research Training Program. Her research explores the neural mechanisms that underlie how sensory stimuli become associated with goal-directed behavior.

 Topics:

• How learning changes sensory representation (with implications for understanding addiction, etc.)
• Recent research on the functions of dopamine and serotonin
• Hype vs reality of psychedelics
• Regulation of ketamine clinics

 More information: https://www.sippylab.com/

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Andrew Nierenberg is a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of the MGH Dauten Family Center for Bipolar Treatment Innovation. He completed his residency in psychiatry at New York University/Bellevue Hospital.

Topics:

• Lithium vs antipsychotics
• SMART BD (Sequential Multiple Assignment of Randomized Treatment)
• Bipolar Learning Health Network
• Medication concordance

More information:
https://brain.harvard.edu/?people=andrew-nierenberg

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Alan Schatzberg is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford Medicine, and Director of the Stanford Mood Disorders Center. His research examines the biology and psychopharmacology of depressive disorders. An NYU School of Medicine alumnus, Dr. Schatzberg was President of the American Psychiatric Association from 2009-2010.

Topics:

• Ketamine and Esketamine (incl. mechanisms of action)
• Ketamine and obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Opioids
• Psychedelic medicine

For more information:
https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/alan-schatzberg

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Executive Producer: Jon Earle

Dr. Michael Bogenschutz is a Professor of Psychiatry at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and Director of the NYU Langone Center for Psychedelic Medicine.

Topics:

• Psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for alcohol use disorder
• MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD
• Psychedelic medicine for the "worried well"
• The role of the mystical experience
• Comparing different psychedelic medicines
• Mechanisms of action
• Treatment protocols
• Safety and risk-mitigation
• Topics for further investigation

Cited:

• Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder (August 2022)

For more information:
https://centerforpsychedelicmedicine.org/

Visit our website for more Insights on Psychiatry.
Watch this episode on YouTube
Executive Producer: Jon Earle