Volume 6, Number 6

How Solid Is the Evidence for the Efficacy of Mood Stabilizers in Bipolar Disorder?
Research into pharmacotherapy for bipolar depression is sparse; its more difficult to study, and industry-supported investigations prefer to deal with acute mania because positive results can readily set the stage for successful marketing campaigns, as they are far more likely to be released, pass peer review, and end up being published in respectable journals. Read More

Pharmacologic Management of Borderline Personality Disorder: A Case Study
Patients with borderline personality disorder have a reputation for being tough to treat. Until recent years, the primary approach involved psychoanalytically based psychotherapy that was uniquely adapted to these patients. But with the development of new psychopharmacologic agents, attention to the physiological dimensions of this illness has grown exponentially. Read More

Inappropriate Medication Use in the Elderly
Medication-related injuries in older patients can be estimated at more than 175,000 cases a year. Dr. Darryl S. Chutka and his colleagues from the Mayo Clinic warn us of the frequent misuse of psychopharmacologic agents in elderly patients, highlighting medications that should not be used routinely in these patients, as well as medications that pose an increased risk for adverse effect, but may still be necessary. Read More

Special Report
Metabolic and Endocrine Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Computers, cell phones, long commutes, deadlines, and frequent business travel are only a few of the environmental pressures that account for the fact that all too many people sleep less than needed. And there is a price to be paid. Sleep apnea is on the rise, probably contributing to the obesity epidemic as well as increasing the risk for diabetes. Read More

Interview
Reliability and Risks of Generic Psychopharmacologic Agents
In a world of increasing medical costs, Drs. Frederic Flach and Alan Gelenberg dissect the reliability and risks of generic psychopharmacologic agents. Read More