Section - Quick Takes

03. Quetiapine in the Anxiety Dimension of Mood Disorders

Published on December 1, 2021 Expired on April 1, 2025

James Phelps, M.D.

Research Editor - Psychopharmacology Institute

Key Points

Quetiapine is superior to placebo and as good as antidepressants for the treatment of anxiety symptoms in patients with a mood disorder.
A transdiagnostic version of CBT has been shown in multiple meta-analyses to be an effective treatment for both anxiety and depression; it is therefore worth considering as an alternative to antidepressants and quetiapine for patients with both of these symptoms.

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Text version

This Quick Take is based on a new review of quetiapine for anxiety. I’ll mention its findings eventually, but we’re going to look at a bigger picture touching on the controversy around mixed state definitions and their implications for choosing treatments.

Hi! Jim Phelps here for the Psychopharmacology Institute. To begin, as you surely have figured out, the committees that craft DSM diagnoses do not run across the hallway and compare their criteria. “Oh, you have difficulty concentrating on your list. We have that one on our list, too.” No. One of the most extensive symptom overlaps in terms of these criteria occur between generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. Currently, 4 of the 6 symptoms of GAD are also found in MDD—5 if you count restlessness as agitation. Studies of comorbidities between MDD and GAD show that 40% to 98% of patients with MDD have GAD per a

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04. Variable Patterns of Remission From ADHD in the Multi-modal Treatment Study of ADHD

Learning Objectives:

After completing this activity, the learner will be able to:

Examine the evidence for suicide risk reduction by antipsychotics and assess whether this benefit is shared by multiple antipsychotics or is specific to clozapine.
Review the concept of perineuronal nets and examine a study that purports to show vitamin D might improve outcomes in schizophrenia.
Compare the efficacy of antidepressants, quetiapine, and transdiagnostic CBT for the treatment of anxiety symptoms among patients with major depressive disorder.
Re-examine the course of ADHD into young adulthood in light of recent longitudinal findings from the Multi-modal Treatment Study of ADHD (MTA). 5. Consider proposed etiologies for binge eating disorder and biological treatments that follow from these potential mechanisms.

Original Release Date: December 1, 2021

Review and Re-release Date: March 1, 2024

Expiration Date: April 1, 2025

Expert: James Phelps, M.D.

Medical Editor: Melissa Mariano, M.D.

Relevant Financial Disclosures:

None of the faculty, planners, and reviewers for this educational activity have relevant financial relationships to disclose during the last 24 months with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Contact Information: For questions regarding the content or access to this activity, contact us at support@psychopharmacologyinstitute.com

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Participants must complete the activity online during the valid credit period that is noted above.

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View the required educational content provided on this course page.
Complete the Post Activity Evaluation for providing the necessary feedback for continuing accreditation purposes and for the development of future activities. NOTE: Completing the Post Activity Evaluation after the quiz is required to receive the earned credit.
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Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of Medical Academy LLC and the Psychopharmacology Institute. Medical Academy is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation Statement

Medical Academy designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.