Lindner Center of HOPE’s Chief Research Officer, Dr. Susan McElroy, was recently cited in a Forbes article about her work in the investigation of an experimental drug that could be used in the treatment of depression.
Naurex, a private company founded by a Northwestern University professor in Evanston, Ill., is reporting that this experimental drug works to help push patients out of a major depressive state within 24 hours of getting a single intravenous shot.
At some doses, the medication lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, a drug approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, was effective compared with placebo in decreasing binge-eating (BE) days in patients with binge-eating disorder (BED), a public health problem associated symptoms of mental illness and obesity and for which there are no approved medications, according to a study published online by JAMA Psychiatry.
BED is characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption accompanied by a sense of loss of control and psychological distress. Cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as psychotherapy, can reduce BE behavior but implementation of these treatments has not been widespread. Consequently, many patients with BED are undertreated despite having functional impairments and difficulties in their social and personal lives. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved pharmacologic treatments for BED, according to background information in the study.
Susan L. McElroy, M.D., of the Research Institute, Lindner Center of HOPE, Mason, Ohio, and coauthors compared lisdexamfetamine with placebo in adults with moderate to severe BED in a randomized clinical trial from May 2011 through January 2012. The study included 259 and 255 adults with BED in safety and intention-to-treat analyses, respectively. The medication was administered in dosages of 30, 50 or 70 mg/day or placebo.
BE days per week decreased in the 50-mg/d and 70 mg/d treatment groups but not in the 30 mg/d treatment group compared with the placebo group, according to the study results. Results also indicate the percentage of patients who achieved four-week BE cessation was lower with the placebo group (21.3 percent) compared with the 50-mg/d (42.2 percent) and 70-mg/d (50 percent) treatment groups.
“In the primary analysis of this study of adults with moderate to severe BED, lisdexamfetamine dimesylate treatment with 50 and 70 mg/d, but not 30 mg/d, demonstrated a significant decrease (compared with placebo) in weekly BE days per week at week 11. Similarly, BE episodes decreased in the 50- and 70-mg/d treatment groups. The one-week BE episode response status was improved in the 50- and 70-mg/d treatment groups, and a greater proportion of participants achieved four-week cessation of BE episodes and global improvement of symptom severity with all lisdexamfetamine dosages. … Confirmation of these findings in ongoing clinical trials may results in improved pharmacologic treatment for moderate to severe BED,” the study concludes.
(JAMA Psychiatry. Published online January 14, 2015. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.2162. at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)
Editor’s Note: Authors made conflict of interest disclosures. This study was supported by Shire Development, LLC, including funding to Scientific Communications & Information and Complete Healthcare Communications, Inc., for support in writing and editing the manuscript. Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.
Susan L. McElroy MD, James I. Hudson MD, ScD, James E. Mitchell MD, Denise Wilfley PhD, M. Celeste Ferreira-Cornwell PhD, Joseph Gao PhD, Jiannong Wang PhD, Timothy Whitaker MD, Jeffrey Jonas MD, Maria Gasior MD, PhD
JAMA Psychiatry. 2015;72(3):-. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.2162
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) was once thought to be an untreatable condition. However, in the past 30 years psychiatric and psychological treatment advances now allow individuals with OCD to manage and overcome their symptoms and live fulfilling and meaningful lives. Untreated OCD is a potentially disabling condition that strikes children and adults. Estimates of up to three percent of the population will battle OCD at some point in their lives and it affects men and women in equal numbers. It delivers a staggering toll for the individual and society, as individuals with OCD to have much higher than expected rates of under-employment and unemployment. With treatment , a person suffering OCD can now expect to free themselves from OCD’s grip. Dr. Charles Brady, from Lindner Center of HOPE’s OCD and Anxiety treatment program will discuss the nature of OCD including how it is diagnosed and how current evidence based treatments are able to help individuals reclaim their lives.
Guest Bio:
Dr. Charles F. Brady directs the Lindner Center of HOPE’s Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Anxiety treatment program. He leads the research and development of the Center’s psychiatric rehabilitation programming. Dr. Brady is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years experience on the staff and faculty of the University of Cincinnati’s Department of Psychiatry. In addition to providing clinical service at UC, he trained and supervised interns, doctoral students, post-doctoral fellows, psychiatric residents, psychiatric fellows, and psychiatrists. Dr. Brady earned his Doctorate of Clinical-Community Psychology from University of South Carolina and completed his post-doctoral fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He has completed training in the treatment of OCD and OCD spectrum disorders through the Behavior Therapy Institute. Dr. Brady is Board Certified in Clinical Psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
The Frances and Craig Lindner Center of HOPE is pleased to announce the following doctors were ranked among the best doctors in the nation and among the top specialists in the Tri-State as indicated by The Best Doctors in America 2014 database. 491 specialists from the Tristate were included in the listing published in Cincy Magazine:
Paul E. Keck, Jr., M.D., President-CEO, Lindner Center of HOPE, is a nationally renowned psychiatrist and researcher in Bipolar Disorder and psychopharmacology. He authored over 700 scientific papers in leading journals and was the 7th most cited scientist in the world published in the fields of psychiatry and psychology over the last decade.
Michael A. Keys, M.D., Dr. Keys is a regionally known and respected expert in Geriatric Psychiatry with more than 25 years of experience. He currently serves as Director of Senior Adult Psychiatry at the Lindner Center of HOPE. He is also a member of several national and international psychiatric associations and editorial boards.
Susan L. McElroy, M.D., A nationally recognized researcher and educator, Dr. McElroy is internationally known for her research in bipolar disorder, eating disorders, obesity, impulse control disorders and pharmacology. As Chief Research Officer for the Lindner Center of HOPE, she currently oversees multiple ongoing studies in bipolar disorder, major depression, binge eating disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
This is the fifth consecutive year these doctors were included in this database. All three physicians hold faculty appointments with the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and are part of UC Physicians.
Lindner Center of HOPE provides excellent, patient-centered, scientifically-advanced care for individuals suffering with mental illness. A state-of-the-science, mental health center and charter member of the National Network of Depression Centers, the Center provides psychiatric hospitalization and partial hospitalization for individuals age 12-years-old and older, outpatient services for all ages, diagnostic and short-term residential services for adults and adolescents, intensive outpatient program for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders for adults and research. The Center is enhanced by its partnership with UC Health as its clinicians are ranked among the best providers locally, nationally and internationally. Together Lindner Center of HOPE and UC Health offer a true system of mental health care in the Greater Cincinnati area and across the country. The Center is also affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine.
There was a popular television series in the 1970’s called, “Kung Fu.” I recall an episode when Kwai Chang Caine, the main character played by David Carradine was revisiting a disappointing and sad moment in his youth. In providing support to Caine, Master Po told him, “Ah, grasshopper, you must realize that at every ending lies a new beginning.” I’ve never forgotten that quote and have reminded myself of its truth throughout my life.
2014 is now history and we are now launched into 2015! Many, if not all of us have experienced disappointing and sad moments this past year. Difficulty is no respecter of persons. Consider what the late inventor, Thomas Edison so profoundly stated as he watched his life’s work go up in flames, as he witnessed his house and laboratory being destroyed by a fire in 1917, “All my mistakes are now up in flames, but with God’s help, we can start anew.” After experiencing such a tragic loss at the age of 67, Mr. Edison could have easily quit and retired but, he chose to put his words into action – and started anew! Then, just three weeks after the fire, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.
When it comes to certain disappointments and setbacks experienced in 2014, one must realize that most things cannot be changed. However, the good news is that one can choose to take action in 2015 – and start anew! The following are some suggestions on How to Delve in 2015 to make it a more positive year:
1. Choose to forgive – Forgiveness is a choice. Forgiveness is not forgetting the hurt or pain caused by someone else – sometimes this is impossible. Rather, it’s remembering that the offense has been forgiven. This allows the offended to take his/her power back that someone has taken from them. Forgiveness can unlock the chains that hold us hostage in life, even when the offense took place years before.
2. Increase my laughter – There is a proverb that says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Life can be overwhelming with all its serious issues and events. Consider including humor in your daily activities. Jump start your day by reading a humorous joke, watch a good comedy show or movie on television, and allow laughter to brighten your day and lighten the load of the cares of the world. Laughter can also be contagious and can benefit others around you.
3. Say, “Thank you”, “I’m sorry”, and “I need your help”. These important phrases will strengthen one’s attitude of gratitude, ensure harmony in relationships, and is always a good reminder that there is support out there when needed.