James Phelps, M.D.

In his last Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps discusses selected papers on antidepressant use and withdrawal, focusing particularly on the shift from categorical to dimensional diagnostic approaches in mood disorders. He also reviews the latest CANMAT and ISBD guidelines on the management of bipolar depression and mixed states, the importance of nonmanic markers in assessing bipolar features, and implications for treatment options for bipolar depression.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research on the use of atypical antipsychotics for various patient populations, such as patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis, patients with poor response to clozapine, and young adults with psychotic and bipolar disorders. He also discusses systematic reviews on pharmacologic treatments for cocaine craving as well as the efficacy of dual orexin receptor antagonists for the treatment of insomnia.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps discusses research studies regarding haloperidol for the treatment of delirium in ICU patients, antidepressant use during pregnancy and the risk for gestational diabetes, and the risk for cardiovascular diseases associated with ADHD medications. He also tackles studies examining the associations between cannabis use and brain changes among youth as well as associations between oral contraceptives, antidepressants, and the risks for suicidal behavior and accidents among patients with premenstrual disorders.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research studies on the effects of a smartphone-based self-management intervention for patients with bipolar disorder as well as pharmacogenetic testing on medication selection and remission among patients with major depressive disorder. He also discusses novel and emerging treatments for major depressive disorder, e-cigarette use patterns among patients attempting smoking cessation, and associations between antipsychotic use, substance use, and relapse risk in patients with schizophrenia.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research studies on potential predictors for treatment response among various psychiatric conditions, such as baseline cognitive function for response trajectories in first-episode schizophrenia as well as C-reactive protein for SSRI response among patients with depression. He also discusses reviews on antidepressant discontinuation and the likelihood of relapse, mirtazapine as a potential augmentation strategy for clozapine-resistant schizophrenia, and the efficacy of lavender extract for the management of insomnia.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research studies on medications with potential utility for various psychiatric conditions, such as N-acetylcysteine for schizophrenia, sublingual dexmedetomidine for acute agitation, and naltrexone–bupropion combination for binge-eating disorder. He also discusses reviews on the efficacy and safety of ketamine vs electroconvulsive therapy among patients with depression as well as knowledge gaps in the diagnosis and management of neuropsychiatric sequelae of COVID-19.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps discusses research studies on a novel automated intervention to extend ketamine efficacy as well as MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. He also examines studies on the possible associations between antidepressant use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders among children and SSRI dosing strategies for premenstrual syndromes. Finally, he presents recent findings on the risks for neurologic and psychiatric disorders associated with having had COVID-19 infection.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research studies on lamotrigine and lithium combination for rapid cycling bipolar disorder, second-generation antipsychotics as adjunct treatments for major depressive disorder, and electroconvulsive therapy for the treatment of delirium. He also discusses research on microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms and the use of mood stabilizers for adjunct treatment of schizophrenia.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps discusses research studies that seek to shed light on the controversies regarding antidepressant efficacy, including papers on the estimates of the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), which antidepressants and omega-3 fatty acids have in relation to the treatment of depression. He also examines studies on the comparison between quetiapine and lithium for the treatment of bipolar depression as well as the effect of slower lamotrigine titration rates on the incidence of selected adverse events.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research studies on psychotropic medications and adverse effects, such as the association between olanzapine concentration and metabolic dysfunction as well as antidepressants and the risk for fractures. He also examines research on the efficacy of pharmacologic and dietary supplement treatments for autism spectrum disorder, the efficacy of bright light therapy for perinatal depression, and a narrative review on the symptomatic vs disease-modifying effects of psychotropic drugs.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research studies on clozapine, including the development of an international adult guideline for clozapine titration as well as the use of metformin for the prevention of clozapine-induced weight gain. He also discusses studies on anticholinergic medication misuse, optimal antipsychotic dosing for relapse prevention, and a widely read systematic umbrella review on the serotonin hypothesis.

In this Quick Take volume, Dr. James Phelps examines research studies on methylphenidate and other pharmacologic treatments for the treatment of apathy among patients with Alzheimer’s disease, folate and its derivatives for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders, and the efficacy of supraphysiologic doses of levothyroxine for adjunctive treatment of bipolar depression. He also discusses reviews on the efficacy of psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies for psychiatric disorders as well as the association between physical activity and the risk for depression.