AJP Recognized for Outstanding Publication of Research That Informs Clinical Practice

Two prestigious institutions have recognized the American Journal of Psychiatry (AJP) for publication of outstanding research that informs and improves clinicians’ practice of psychiatry by enhancing assessment of patients or improving treatment options.

New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) Journal Watch Psychiatry and the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation have each recognized its top 10 choices for research studies published in 2016. Two AJP articles were selected by NEJM Journal Watch Psychiatry, and three were selected by the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation. For both lists, AJP had the most number of listed publications.

“Providing reliable, up-to-date information for clinicians and their patients is the most important role of the American Journal of Psychiatry,” said AJP Editor Robert Freedman, M.D. “Therefore, the Editorial Board, our authors, and I take special pride in receiving top recognition this year from both NEJM Journal Watch Psychiatry and the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation for bringing our readers the highest quality information that can guide their practice now and in the future.”

These are the two reports selected by NEJM Journal Watch Psychiatry:

• The Risk of Treatment-Emergent Mania With Methylphenidate in Bipolar Disorder" by Alexander Viktorin, Ph.D., and colleagues. This study found no evidence of a positive association between methylphenidate and treatment-emergent mania among patients with bipolar disorder who were concomitantly receiving a mood-stabilizing medication. This is clinically important given that up to 20% of people with bipolar disorder suffer from comorbid ADHD.
• “Efficacy and Safety of Antidepressants Added to Antipsychotics for Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” by Bartosz Helfer, M.Sc., and colleagues. This study showed that adding an antidepressant to the antipsychotic regimen of a  patient with schizophrenia can alleviate depression without risking exacerbation of psychosis.
  

The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation selected these reports:

• Opioid Modulation With Buprenorphine/Samidorphan as Adjunctive Treatment for Inadequate Response to Antidepressants by Maurizio Fava, M.D., et al. The researchers found that buprenorphine/samidorphan in combination is a novel and promising candidate for treatment of major depressive disorder for patients who have an inadequate response to standard antidepressants.
• An Individualized Risk Calculator for Research in Prodromal Psychosis by Tyrone D. Cannon, Ph.D., et al., and its companion article, Personalized Prediction of Psychosis: External Validation of the NAPLS-2 Psychosis Risk Calculator With the EDIPPP Project by Ricardo E. Carrión, et al. The researchers described a risk calculator, comparable in accuracy to those for cardiovascular disease and cancer, for predicting individualized risk for conversion to psychosis in newly ascertained clinical high-risk cases.
• Neurometabolic Disorders: Potentially Treatable Abnormalities in Patients With Treatment-Refractory Depression and Suicidal Behavior by Lisa A. Pan, M.D., et al. This study found that examination of metabolic disorders in patients with treatment-refractory depression identified an unexpectedly large proportion of patients with potentially treatable abnormalities.

More information about these studies will appear in a future issue of Psychiatric News.

(Image: American Journal of Psychiatry)