Lawmakers Push for MDMA Approval; Dogs and Depression; Barriers to OUD Prescribing

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News and commentary from the psychiatry world

by
Kristen Monaco,

Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today,


August 7, 2024

A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers is pressuring the Biden administration to approve Lykos Therapeutics’ midomafetamine (MDMA)-assisted treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder; an FDA decision is expected in the coming days. (The Hill)

Among adults with schizophrenia receiving paliperidone palmitate (Invega Hafyera) every 6 months, 95.9% remained relapse free for up to 3 years. (JAMA Network Open)

GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight-loss may trigger eating disorders like anorexia in certain patients, doctors warned. (NBC News)

A strong bond with pets, especially dogs, was linked with reduced depression and anxiety for middle-age and older women. (JAMA Network Open)

Among mental health patients in the U.K. who died by suicide, a case-controlled study revealed that internet searches for suicide-related content was more common among those with autism, prior psychological treatment, or a history of childhood abuse. (Lancet Regional Health Europe)

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was more effective in reducing depressive symptoms than switching antidepressants in people with moderately treatment-resistant depression. (American Journal of Psychiatry)

Twenty-one states had a ratio of less than one psychiatrist offering peripartum treatment per 5,000 births in 2022; South Dakota, Montana, and Mississippi had the lowest density. (JAMA Network Open)

Thinking can be unpleasant for some people, a meta-analysis suggested. (Psychological Bulletin)

Training requirements may not be the primary barrier to expanding buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), according to a cross-sectional study of four states. (JAMA Network Open)

One psychiatrist suggested people think twice before calling 911 for someone in a mental health crisis. (PLOS Mental Health)