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Comorbid psychiatric disorders in adults with ADHD are important because these comorbidities might complicate the diagnosis of ADHD and also worsen the prognosis. However, the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders in adult ADHD varies according to the diagnostic tools used and the characteristics of target populations. The purpose of this review was to describe the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric disorders in adults with ADHD compared with adults without ADHD. Thirty-two studies published before August 2022 were identified and classified according to diagnosis of other psychiatric disorder in those with ADHD. The most frequent comorbid psychiatric disorder in the ADHD group was substance use disorder (SUD), followed by mood disorders, anxiety disorders, and personality disorders. The prevalence of these four disorders was higher in the ADHD group, whether or not subjects were diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders. In addition, the diversity of ADHD diagnostic tools was observed. This also might have affected the variability in prevalence of comorbidities. Standardization of ADHD diagnostic tools is necessary in the future.

Although mood stabilizers such as lithium (LIT), valproate (VAL), and lamotrigine (LMT) appear to be efficacious treatments for bipolar disorder (BD) in research settings, the long-term response to these mood stabilizers in clinical practice is highly variable among individuals. Thus, the present study examined the characteristics associated with good or insufficient responses to long-term treatment with LIT, VAL, or LMT for BD. This study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients who visited an outpatient clinic with a diagnosis of BD I or II. Data from patients who were treated with one of three mood stabilizing medications (LIT, VAL, or LMT) for more than 6 months were selected, and the long-term treatment responses were evaluated using the Alda scale. For the purposes of this study, two response categories were formed: insufficient response (ISR), including non-response or poor response (Alda total score ≤ 6), and good response (GR; Alda total score ≥ 7). Of the 645 patients included in the present study, 172 were prescribed LIT, 320 were prescribed VAL, and 153 were prescribed LMT for at least 6 months. A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that a diagnosis of BD II (odds ratio [OR], 8.868; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.123-70.046; p = 0.038), comorbid alcohol/substance use disorder (OR, 4.238; 95% CI, 1.154-15.566; p = 0.030), and a history of mixed episodes (OR, 4.363; 95% CI, 1.191-15.985; p = 0.026) were significant predictors of LIT-ISR. Additionally, a depressive-predominant polarity significantly predicted LMT-GR (OR, 8.586; 95% CI, 2.767-26.644; p < 0.001). The present findings demonstrated that patients with a diagnosis of BD II, a comorbid alcohol/substance problem, or a history of mixed episodes were not likely to respond to LIT treatment. Additionally, LMT might be a better treatment choice for patients with a depressive-predominant polarity.

Melatonin is a hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland. To date, melatonin is known to regulate the sleep cycle by controlling the circadian rhythm. However, recent advances in neuroscience and molecular biology have led to the discovery of new actions and effects of melatonin. In recent studies, melatonin was shown to have antioxidant activity and, possibly, to affect the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In addition, melatonin has neuroprotective effects and affects neuroplasticity, thus indicating potential antidepressant properties. In the present review, the new functions of melatonin are summarized and a therapeutic target for the development of new drugs based on the mechanism of action of melatonin is proposed.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) scores of a sample of Korean patients with remitted depression who had attempted suicide and reported suicidal ideation and to compare their scores with those of remitted depressed patients without suicidal ideation. Adult depression patients who had completed 12 weeks of follow-up (N = 138) were divided into three groups: patients with a history of suicide attempts (N = 23); patients with current suicidal ideation (N = 59); and patients without current suicidal ideation (N = 56). After controlling for covariates, no significant differences were found among the three groups on any measure of temperament or character except self-directedness and self-transcendence. The self-transcendence scores of the lifetime suicide-attempt group were significantly higher compared with those of the suicidal-ideation group; post hoc analysis revealed that self-directedness was significantly lower in the suicide-attempt group compared with the non-suicidal group. The results from the present study suggest that remitted depression patients with a history of suicide attempts do not differ from non-attempters in temperament, but do differ in certain character traits.

Lurasidone is a benzisothiazol derivative and an atypical antipsychotic approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the acute treatment of adults with schizophrenia (October 2010) and bipolar 1 depression (June 2013). Lurasidone has a strong antagonistic property at the D2, serotonin (5-HT)2A, and 5-HT7 receptors, and partial agonistic property at the 5-HT1A receptor. Lurasidone also has lower binding affinity for the α2C and 5-HT2C receptor. Lurasidone is rapidly absorbed (time to maximum plasma concentration: 1-3 hours), metabolized mainly by CYP3A4 and eliminated by hepatic metabolism. In two large, well-designed, 6-week trials in adult patients with bipolar 1 depression, lurasidone monotherapy and adjunctive therapy with mood stabilizers were significantly more effective than placebo at improving depressive symptoms assessed using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale total score. In both trials, lurasidone also reduced the Clinical Global Impression-Bipolar Severity depression score to a greater extent than placebo. In these two trials, discontinuation rates due to adverse events in the lurasidone group were small (<7%) and were not different from those of the placebo group. The most common adverse events in the lurasidone group were headache, nausea, somnolence, and akathisia. The changes in lipid profiles, weight, and parameters of glycemic control were minimal, and these findings were in line with those observed in schizophrenia trials. Further active comparator trials and long-term tolerability and safety data in bipolar patients are required. Lurasidone may be an option for the management of depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar 1 disorder, and it may be considered as a treatment alternative for patients who are at high risk for metabolic abnormalities.

To constitute the third revision of the guidelines for the treatment of bipolar disorder issued by the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder (KMAP-BP 2014). A 56-item questionnaire was used to obtain the consensus of experts regarding pharmacological treatment strategies for the various phases of bipolar disorder and for special populations. The review committee included 110 Korean psychiatrists and 38 experts for child and adolescent psychiatry. Of the committee members, 64 general psychiatrists and 23 child and adolescent psychiatrists responded to the survey. The treatment of choice (TOC) for euphoric, mixed, and psychotic mania was the combination of a mood stabilizer (MS) and an atypical antipsychotic (AAP); the TOC for acute mild depression was monotherapy with MS or AAP; and the TOC for moderate or severe depression was MS plus AAP/antidepressant. The first-line maintenance treatment following mania or depression was MS monotherapy or MS plus AAP; the first-line treatment after mania was AAP monotherapy; and the first-line treatment after depression was lamotrigine (LTG) monotherapy, LTG plus MS/AAP, or MS plus AAP plus LTG. The first-line treatment strategy for mania in children and adolescents was MS plus AAP or AAP monotherapy. For geriatric bipolar patients, the TOC for mania was AAP/MS monotherapy, and the TOC for depression was AAP plus MS or AAP monotherapy. The expert consensus in the KMAP-BP 2014 differed from that in previous publications; most notably, the preference for AAP was increased in the treatment of acute mania, depression, and maintenance treatment. There was increased expert preference for the use of AAP and LTG. The major limitation of the present study is that it was based on the consensus of Korean experts rather than on experimental evidence.

Close connections between depression and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) have been suggested by many epidemiological and experimental studies. Disturbances in insulin sensitivity due to the disruption of various molecular pathways cause insulin resistance, which underpins many metabolic disorders, including diabetes, as well as depression. Several anti-hyperglycemic agents have demonstrated antidepressant properties in clinical trials, probably due to their action on brain targets based on the shared pathophysiology of depression and T2DM. In this article, we review reports of clinical trials examining the antidepressant effect of these medications, including insulin, metformin, glucagon like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ agonists, and briefly consider possible molecular mechanisms underlying the associations between amelioration of insulin resistance and improvement of depressive symptoms. In doing so, we intend to suggest an integrative perspective for understanding the pathophysiology of depression.

This study aimed to examine the sociodemographic and disease-related variables associated with the premature discontinuation of psychiatric outpatient treatment after discharge among patients with noncombat-related posttraumatic stress disorder. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who were discharged with a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder. Fifty-five percent of subjects (57/104) prematurely discontinued outpatient treatment within 6 months of discharge. Comparing sociodemographic variables between the 6-month non-follow-up group and 6-month follow-up group, there were no variables that differed between the two groups. However, comparing disease-related variables, the 6-month follow-up group showed a longer hospitalization duration and higher Global Assessment of Function score at discharge. The logistic regression analysis showed that a shorter duration of hospitalization predicted premature discontinuation of outpatient treatment within 6 months of discharge. The duration of psychiatric hospitalization for posttraumatic stress disorder appeared to influence the premature discontinuation of outpatient treatment after discharge.

Our goal was to compare the recommendations of the Korean Medication Algorithm Project for Bipolar Disorder 2014 (KMAP-BP 2014) with other recently published guidelines for the treatment of bipolar disorder. We reviewed a total of four recently published global treatment guidelines and compared each treatment recommendation of the KMAP-BP 2014 with those in other guidelines. For the initial treatment of mania, there were no significant differences across treatment guidelines. All recommended mood stabilizer (MS) or atypical antipsychotic (AAP) monotherapy or the combination of an MS with an AAP as a first-line treatment strategy for mania. However, the KMAP-BP 2014 did not prefer monotherapy with MS or AAP for dysphoric/psychotic mania. Aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine, and risperidone were the first-line AAPs in nearly all of the phases of bipolar disorder across the guidelines. Most guidelines advocated newer AAPs as first-line treatment options in all phases, and lamotrigine in depressive and maintenance phases. Lithium and valproic acid were commonly used as MSs in all phases of bipolar disorder. As research evidence accumulated over time, recommendations of newer AAPs - such as asenapine, paliperidone, lurasidone, and long-acting injectable risperidone - became prominent. This comparison identifies that the treatment recommendations of the KMAP-BP 2014 are similar to those of other treatment guidelines and reflect current changes in prescription patterns for bipolar disorder based on accumulated research data. Further studies are needed to address several issues identified in our review.

The primary aim of this non-inferiority study was to investigate the clinical effectiveness and safety of generic escitalopram (Lexacure(®)) versus branded escitalopram (Lexapro(®)) for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The present study included 158 patients, who were randomized (1:1) to receive a flexible dose of generic escitalopram (n=78) or branded escitalopram (n=80) over a 6-week single-blind treatment period. The clinical benefits in the two groups were evaluated using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scale (CGI-S), and the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale (CGI-I) at baseline, week 1, week 2, week 4, and week 6. The frequency of adverse events (AEs) was also assessed to determine safety at each follow-up visit. During the 6-week study period, 30 patients (38.5%) from the generic escitalopram group and 28 patients (30.0%) from the branded escitalopram group dropped out of the study (P=0.727). The MADRS, HDRS, CGI-S, and CGI-I scores significantly decreased in both groups, and there were no significant differences between the groups. At week 6, 28 patients (57.1%) in the generic escitalopram group and 35 patients (67.3%) in the branded escitalopram group had responded to treatment (as indicated by a ≥50% decrease from the baseline MADRS score; P=0.126), and the remission rates (MADRS score: ≤10) were 42.9% (n=21) in generic escitalopram group and 53.8% (n=28) in the branded escitalopram group (P=0.135). The most frequently reported AEs were nausea (17.9%), sleepiness/somnolence (7.7%), weight gain (3.8%), and dry mouth (2.6%) in the generic escitalopram group and nausea (20.0%), sleepiness/somnolence (3.8%), weight gain (2.5%), and dry mouth (2.5%) in the branded escitalopram group. The present non-inferiority study demonstrated that generic escitalopram is a safe and an effective initial treatment for patients with MDD and may also be considered as an additional therapeutic option for this population.