Conditioned Placebo Dose Reduction: A New Treatment in ADHD?

With the aim of finding a placebo response to help treat children with ADHD, Sandler, Glesne and Bodfish determined the efficacy and side effects of CPDR (conditioned placebo dose reduction). The 8-weeks study involved 99 children aged between 6 and 12 with ADHD. After a double-blind dose of MAS (mixed amphetamine salts), the subjects were assigned to either (a) Reduced Dose/Placebo, (b) Reduced Dose Only, and © Full Dose. The results concluded that placebo responses due to pairing of placebos with stimulant medications allow effective treatment of children with ADHD on a 50% optimal stimulant dose.

Sandler, A., Glesne, C., & Bodfish, J. (2010). Conditioned Placebo Dose Reduction: A New Treatment in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 31(5), 369–375. DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0b013e3181e121ed

Divalproex In The Treatment Of Bipolar Depression: A Placebo-Controlled Study

In an attempt to determine the potential efficacy of Divalproex in treating bipolar disorder, Davis, Bartolucci and Petty carried out an 8-weeks, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial on 25 outpatients diagnosed with bipolar I depression. For measuring depression, the clinicians used the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale, while anxiety was measured using Hamilton secondary scale. For mania, the researchers used the Administered Rating Scale whilst applying the clinical global impression scale. Using the ANOVA measures, divalproex was found to be more effective than placebo in improving depression and anxiety depressions in bipolar I.

Davis, L., Bartolucci, A., & Petty, F. (2005). Divalproex In The Treatment Of Bipolar Depression: A Placebo-Controlled Study. Journal Of Affective Disorders, 85(3), 259–266. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2004.09.009

Specialized Group Intervention for Compulsive Exercise in Inpatients with Eating Disorders: Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes

The purpose of the study was to determine the feasibility and acceptance of a manualized therapeutic approach in promoting healthy behavior in patients with ED (eating disorder). Dittmer et al. also wanted to estimate the effect sizes of this treatment as a promising cognitive-behavioral therapy. With 32 participants, the researchers applied the methods of Beck Depression Inventory-II, Eating Disorder Inventory-2 and an Emotion Regulation Questionnaire to assess depression, eating disorder and emotional regulation respectively. As a result, all participants were satisfied with both the content and structure of the integrative and cognitive therapeutic approach.

Dittmer, N., Voderholzer, U., von der Mühlen, M., Marwitz, M., Fumi, M., & Mönch, C. et al. (2018). Specialized Group Intervention For Compulsive Exercise In Inpatients With Eating Disorders: Feasibility And Preliminary Outcomes. Journal Of Eating Disorders, 6(1), 78–92. DOI: 10.1186/s40337–018–0200–8

Longitudinal Cognitive and Biomarker Changes In Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Disease

McDade and his team of researchers conducted a longitudinal cognitive, CSF and clinical assessment of biomarker changes across the spectrum of the Alzheimer Disease. The intentions of the study were to use the DIAN (dominantly inherited Alzheimer network) study in comparing cross-sectional estimates with the Alzheimer Disease. Additional to neuroimaging assessments, the study made use of the linear mixed effects model, which helped measure the participants’ estimated years to onset of symptoms, and compare both mutational carriers and non-carriers. As a result, measures of the longitudinal β-amyloid changed first, at 25 years before onset. Then, the cognition and hippocampal atrophy followed at 20 years before onset.

McDade, E., Wang, G., Hassenstab, J., Buckles, V., Fagan, A., & Holtzman, D. et al. (2018). Longitudinal Cognitive and Biomarker Changes In Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Disease. Neurology, 91(14), e1295-e1306. DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000006277

Internet-Delivered Psychological Treatment Options for Panic Disorder: A Review on Their Efficacy and Acceptability

The study was aimed at exploring recent evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of internet-derived treatments and interventions for adults with panic disorders. The method used involved searching electronic databases (Psyndex, Medline and Pubmed) in identifying articles on randomized, controlled trials between 2012 and 2017. The findings of the search involved eight studies with ten interventions whereby nine of them were based on cognitive behavioral therapy. In conclusion, the study recognized diverse and effective internet-delivered treatments that helped in self-management of panic symptoms. Hence, cognitive behavioral therapy appears being an effective option for the dissemination of routine care.

Apolinário-Hagen, J. (2018). Internet-Delivered Psychological Treatment Options for Panic Disorder: A Review on Their Efficacy and Acceptability. Psychiatry Investigation, 14(2), 108–124. DOI: 10.30773/pi.2018.06.26

References

Apolinário-Hagen, J. (2018). Internet-Delivered Psychological Treatment Options for Panic Disorder: A Review on Their Efficacy and Acceptability. Psychiatry Investigation, 14(2), 108–124. doi: 10.30773/pi.2018.06.26; Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2L1gzsp

Davis, L., Bartolucci, A., & Petty, F. (2005). Divalproex in the treatment of bipolar depression: a placebo-controlled study. Journal Of Affective Disorders, 85(3), 259–266. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2004.09.009; Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2G41Pds

Dittmer, N., Voderholzer, U., von der Mühlen, M., Marwitz, M., Fumi, M., & Mönch, C. et al. (2018). Specialized group intervention for compulsive exercise in inpatients with eating disorders: feasibility and preliminary outcomes. Journal Of Eating Disorders, 6(1), 78–92. DOI: 10.1186/s40337–018–0200–8; Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2xgq9lF

McDade, E., Wang, G., Hassenstab, J., Buckles, V., Fagan, A., & Holtzman, D. et al. (2018). Longitudinal cognitive and biomarker changes in dominantly inherited Alzheimer disease. Neurology, 91(14), e1295-e1306. DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000006277; Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2UhC4tg

Sandler, A., Glesne, C., & Bodfish, J. (2010). Conditioned Placebo Dose Reduction: A New Treatment in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?. Journal Of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 31(5), 369–375. DOI: 10.1097/dbp.0b013e3181e121ed; Retrieved from https://bit.ly/2L1Hrsy