Section - CAP Smart Takes

01. N-Acetylcysteine in Adolescent Alcohol Use Disorder

Published on July 1, 2023 Certification expiration date: July 1, 2026

David R. Rosenberg, M.D.

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

Key Points

Psychosocial treatments alone may have limited effectiveness in treating alcohol use disorder in adolescents, emphasizing the need for additional pharmacotherapy options.
NAC is well-tolerated with few side effects, making it a viable treatment option for adolescents with alcohol use disorder; however, further research is warranted to explore NAC's potential benefits with long-term studies and in combination with psychosocial interventions.

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Hi! David Rosenberg here for the Psychopharmacology Institute. In this CAP—or Child and Adolescent Psychiatry—Smart Take, we will closely examine a promising candidate medication treatment for adolescents with alcohol use disorder, specifically the glutamate, GABA, and glutathione modulator, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Now, NAC is well-tolerated with few side effects. It has been used extensively in children and adults. You may know it for its use in acetaminophen overdose under the brand name Mucomyst. It has also been studied in children and adults as a promising candidate for OCD, depression, and anxiety. Moreover, more recently, there has been significant interest in its potential role as a pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder. Despite all we hear about other substances and our being amid the opioid epidemic, alcohol remains adolescents’ most commonly used substance.

The current treatments of choice for alcohol use disorder in adolescents are almost exclusively psychosocial. This is not inappropriate as

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02. Metformin for Weight Gain in Youth on Atypical Antipsychotics

Learning Objectives:

Evaluate the evidence supporting the use of NAC in reducing alcohol use in adolescents.
Understand the potential role of metformin in managing weight gain associated with second-generation antipsychotic treatment in youth.
Recognize the challenges and dilemmas clinicians face when treating youth with ADHD and co-occurring cannabis use, considering the risks and benefits of different treatment approaches.
Evaluate the effectiveness and duration of action of amphetamine extended-release oral suspension in providing sustained symptom control throughout the day in youth with ADHD.
Understand the potential of pharmacogenomic profiling in guiding medication choices for pediatric patients with psychiatric disorders.

Original Release Date: July 1, 2023

Review and Re-release Date: March 1, 2024

Expiration Date: July 1, 2026

Expert: David Rosenberg, 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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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.