Section - Quick Takes

02. Procognitive Effects of Antidepressants and Other Therapeutic Agents in Major Depressive Disorder: A Systematic Review

Published on February 1, 2021 Expired on April 1, 2024

James Phelps, M.D.

Research Editor - Psychopharmacology Institute

Key Points

In 2 head-to-head trials, vortioxetine was not superior to a comparator antidepressant (duloxetine or escitalopram) for improving cognitive function in patients with major depressive disorder.

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One antidepressant has an FDA indication for improving cognitive function while treating major depressive disorder, and that’s vortioxetine. When you have a patient with depression and significant cognitive impairment, the development of which seems to parallel the depression, should you recommend vortioxetine over alternative antidepressants?

Hi! Jim Phelps for the Psychopharmacology Institute. The problem with this question is that, to get that FDA indication, Takeda—the manufacturer of vortioxetine—funded the relevant randomized trials. If no other company or other research group undertakes additional trials, then our database for answering this clinical question is skewed by industry funding.

Do we really have to worry so much about company sponsorship? Yes. A 2017 update of a Cochrane review concluded that industry-sponsored trials are about 25% more likely than nonindustry-sponsored trials to have favorable results and 33% more likely to have favorable conclusions. Industry-sponsored trials warrant extra scrutiny, and if that’s nearly all we

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03. The Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome—A Systematic Case Series Analysis Focusing on Therapy Regimes and Outcome

Learning Objectives:

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

Review the current understanding of Alzheimer's dementia risk and protective factors using a new meta-analysis, which rank-orders factors by relative risk.
Assess the evidence for claims of superior efficacy of selected antidepressants for the treatment of cognitive impairment in the context of major depressive disorder.
Review the evidence for treatment options for severe neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
Analyze a recent review and meta-analysis of depression relapse rates upon antidepressant discontinuation during pregnancy.
Assess the value of transcranial magnetic stimulation for patients with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Original Release Date: 02/01/2021

Review Date: 03/01/2024

Expiration Date: 04/01/2024

Relevant Financial Disclosures:

The following planners, faculty, and reviewers have the following relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose:

Dr. Phelps has disclosed the following relationships:

McGraw-Hill: book on bipolar disorder
W.W. Norton & Co.: books on bipolar disorder

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

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.
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