Section - CAP Smart Takes

01. Pharmacotherapy of ADHD and Comorbid ASD

Published on December 1, 2022 Certification expiration date: December 1, 2028

David R. Rosenberg, M.D.

Chair of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience - Wayne State University School of Medicine

Key Points

This is an excellent review and a critical analysis of the best practice and best state of the evidence for children and adolescents with ADHD and comorbid ASD.
ADHD is highly comorbid with ASD and autistic traits. Further, ADHD with comorbid autistic traits can impact the treatments used in this population.
The overall recommendation as the first-line pharmacotherapy for ADHD with comorbid ASD is methylphenidate.

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Text version

Hi! David Rosenberg here for the Psychopharmacology Institute. I am professor and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at Wayne State University. I have also served as Chief of Child Psychiatry at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan and first authored the first textbook on pediatric psychopharmacology, now in its third edition. So, I am very passionate about child and adolescent psychopharmacology. This is an excellent review, a deep dive, and a critical analysis of the best practice and best state of the evidence for children and adolescents with ADHD and comorbid autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We are increasingly recognizing that ADHD with comorbid ASD or comorbid autistic traits, which may not be sufficient to make the threshold for an ASD diagnosis but are disabling, can impact diagnostic and treatments used in this population. Moreover, we are just beginning to recognize how significantly underrecognized and underdiagnosed comorbid ASD

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02. Low-Dose Olanzapine for Treating Adolescents With Anorexia Nervosa

Learning Objectives:

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

Recognize that a poorer response to treatment with methylphenidate is seen in patients with ADHD with comorbid ASD and intellectual disability than in high-functioning ASD patients without intellectual disability.
Recognize that adolescents with AN treated with low-dose olanzapine and those treated without any antipsychotic medication had a more significant improvement in depressive symptom severity than patients treated with higher dose olanzapine.
Understand that N-acetylcysteine might be safe and well tolerated in pediatric patients with bipolar disorder while improving manic, depressive, anxiety, ADHD, and oppositional defiant symptoms.
Recognize that SSRIs do not appear to impact nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents with depression or anxiety; however, NSSI may be associated with benzodiazepines, trazodone, and stimulants.
Acknowledge that antidepressants in pediatric cancer and bone marrow transplant patients can be beneficial and are generally well tolerated.

Original Release Date: December 1, 2022

Review and Re-release Date: December 1, 2025

Expiration Date: December 1, 2028

Expert: David Rosenberg, M.D.

Medical Editor: Lorena Rodriguez, 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

Instructions for Participation and Credit:

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

Follow these steps to earn CME credit:

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.
Download your certificate.

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.