The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology Podcast

Ser otonin reuptake inhibitors   (SRIs)  are a common treatment for  major depressive disorder, but  they are inadequate for  many patients .  An article published in the July-August 2026 issue  reviews  decades of evidence suggesting that their effects may be improved by  developing  medications , based on candidate compounds, that are  specifically designed to  increase the brain's ability to ma...

Bremelanotide (Vyleesi) was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2019 as an on-demand subcutaneous injectable for the treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women. An editorial in the May-June 2026 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology suggests that the drug may hold promise for HSDD in men without testosterone deficiency but who have oth...

Why can it be challenging to find a psychiatrist well-trained in psychopharmacology? An editorial in the March-April 2026 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology suggests that the problem is not just an overall shortage of psychiatrists but also deficiencies in the depth of training, supervision, and evaluations psychiatrists receive during their residencies. As a result, too few psych...

In this podcast, Orges Alabaku discusses his article, "The Use of VMAT2 Inhibitors for Tardive Dyskinesia," which is published in the March-April 2026 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.   As Dr. Albaku notes, tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a potentially severe and often persistent movement disorder associated with prolonged exposure to dopamine receptor-blocking agents, particularly...

In youth, binge eating is often marked by loss of control eating (LOC-E), defined as difficulty stopping eating and persistent, compulsive food-seeking behaviors that occur even in the absence of physical hunger. In this podcast, Dr. Aaron Keshen discusses his article, titled, "Reduction of Loss of Control Eating in Youth With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Following Initiation of Stimul...

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a considerable clinical challenge. Esketamine, in conjunction with an oral antidepressant, is a potential treatment for TRD. In this podcast, Dr. Matteo Lupi discusses his article, "Esketamine and Quality of Life Improvement in Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients: A Real-World Clinical Study." The prospective study described in the report explores the lo...

Atomoxetine is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor prescribed for the management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).   In this podcast, Emily Yamada discusses her article "Atomoxetine as a Viable ADHD Treatment in Breastfeeding Mothers: Evidence From Human Milk Pharmacokinetic Analysis." In their article, Yamada and her colleagues present data showing that there is minima...

As interest grows in the therapeutic potential of ketogenic diets for bipolar disorder, careful attention must be given to drug-diet interactions. Overlapping mechanisms between therapeutic ketosis and mood-stabilizing agents may offer opportunities for synergistic effects, but may also introduce risks related to altered pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and additive toxicities. In this podcast,...

In this podcast, Nicolas Badre, MD, and Eric Geier, MD, PhD, discuss their article, " Anticholinergic Equivalence in Psychotropic Medications: A Guide for Psychiatrists," which is published in the November-December 2025 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Anticholinergic side effects from psychotropic medications are common and can lead to significant adverse events, including cog...

A presidential executive order early this year directed federal departments and agencies to address the issue of chronic disease in the United States, including "the prevalence of and threat posed by the prescription of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)," with a particular focus on youth. In this podcast, Dr. Jeffrey R. Strawn discusses his editorial, " Fact Versus Fear: Antidepressa...

Many patients view the return of "positive mental health" (PMH) to be their most important goal of treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, few studies have systematically measured PMH or prospectively examined the added value of considering PMH as a treatment predictor of outcomes. In this podcast, Dr. Somaia Mohamed discusses her article, "How Does Positive Mental Health Affect Ne...

Antidepressants are in widespread use, but there is considerable variability in how patients respond, with some seeing substantial improvement while others respond only partially or not at all. In this podcast, Dr. Antonio E. Nardi discusses the many factors that underlie response rates, including psychological factors, personality traits, and medication adherence. There are also some mood conditi...

Examining a patient's family history of medication response is a commonly used method to guide physicians in treatment selection. Though it is widely recommended, there are no published reviews that assess the validity of this approach when treating patients with affective disorders. In this podcast, authors Jeffrey J. Rakofsky, Michael J. Lucido, and Boadie W. Dunlop of the Department of Psychiat...

There is considerable evidence that marketing affects physician prescribing practices, even though physicians themselves may not feel that they are influenced. In a thought-provoking editorial, Dr. Jeffrey A. Mattes explores how e-prescribing systems may be one pathway through which pharmaceutical messaging may shape prescribing behavior. In this podcast, Dr. Mattes discusses his editorial, "How D...

It has been more than 35 years since clozapine was approved by the FDA for use in the United States. Since then, there have been major advances in pharmacokinetics as well as a substantial accumulation of real-world evidence about its use. In two articles in the May-June 2025 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology , Dr. Jose de Leon and dozens of colleagues call on the FDA to make imp...

Dr. Jose de Leon speaks with Dr. Julia Ann Koretski, the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology's Digital Editor, about practical strategies for clinicians prescribing clozapine. This discussion builds on another podcast episode in which Dr. de Leon and a panel of authors and editors discuss recommendations to the FDA to make important changes to the drug's product label to reflect current knowled...

Valproic acid is one of the most frequently prescribed mood-stabilizing agents for bipolar disorder, and in some regions of the world, it now competes with lithium as the preferred treatment of choice for bipolar maintenance. There may soon be restrictions on the use of valproic acid, however, because of the risk in neural tube defects and major congenital malformations in children born to mothers...

"Designer benzodiazepines" are lab-created chemical derivatives of prescription benzodiazepines. They have not been approved for medical use and there is limited information on their safety and toxicity. More potent than their prescription counterparts, this subset of novel psychoactive substances have been growing in popularity in recent years and pose the potential for dangerous levels of intoxi...

Dr. Donald C. Goff, Marvin Stern professor of psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, gives an overview of a new combination drug recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of schizophrenia. It will be marketed as Cobenfy, and its component active ingredients are xanomeline and trospium chloride, representing the first non-dopaminergic antipsychotic approve...

Dr. Julia Ann Koretski, a psychiatrist and Digital Editor of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (JCP), leads a conversation about the guest editorial "Ethics in Psychedelic Science: Promises and Responsibilities" with its author, Dominic Sisti, PhD, a medical ethicist from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and a JCP podcast panel of Editor-in-Chief Dr. Anth...

About 20% of women experience depression while they are pregnant, and untreated depression has been associated with increased rates of adverse birth outcomes and complications. In this podcast, Julia J. Rucklidge, PhD, of the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand, discusses nutrition, pregnancy, and mental health in detail with psychiatrist and Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacolog...

Dr. Julia Ann Koretski, a psychiatrist and Digital Editor of Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology (JCP), discusses the editorial "Psychopharmacologic Laziness" with its author, Dr. Anthony Rothschild, who is Editor-in-Chief of JCP. He contends that psychotropic medications with well-established efficacy for the treatment of various psychiatric conditions are underprescribed due in part to what h...

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, products containing psychoactive compounds such as cannabis or mushroom extracts are increasing in availability though they may have undisclosed ingredients, contaminants, and adulterants. Elisa Nguyen, and Drs. Abraham Qavi and Minh-Ha Tran, authors of the letter to the editor "Health Alert: Microdose Products Leading to Acute Illnes...

This podcast features Dr. Chadi Calarge, a child psychiatrist at Baylor College of Medicine and, for over 20 years, a researcher focused on long-term psychiatric medication safety with regard to height growth and metabolic abnormalities. He gives an overview of past and forward-looking research questions related to growth, growth hormones, and such drugs as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors...

Ketamine and esketamine represent significant advancements for patients with treatment-resistant depression. Their rapid action provides much needed relief for patients who do not respond to traditional antidepressants. Their use, however, introduces challenges that necessitate ongoing research and careful consideration to maximize their potential, which Dr. Balwinder Singh, MD, MS, details in thi...