Harvard Psychopharmacology 2023: A Master Class (CME VIDEOS)

We are pleased to offer our 13th annual two-day course uniquely designed for practicing clinicians, clinical researchers and trainees in psychiatry. Presentations will focus on typical psychiatric patients with emphasis on those who are difficult to treat or are treatment resistant. Newer treatments and developing treatment strategies will be discussed including the use of genetic tests, blood level measurements and drug combinations. There will be considerable opportunity for interaction with the presenters.

This conference will focus on the following topics: An updated review of neurobiology and brain function taking the attendee through neurotransmission sequence from the central role of neurotransmitter circuits, transmitters and receptors, synaptic function and gene transcription. Interaction between genes and the environment. Drug treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder will be presented with a focus on prodromal symptoms and first episode patients, as well as long-term maintenance and treatment resistant patients. New antipsychotic medications and treatment augmentation will be reviewed along with potential new uses for mood stabilizers. Neurobiological mechanisms of depression with a discussion of both the genetic and epigenetic contribution as well as the role of inflammation will be highlighted. Modern use of antidepressants will be based on the latest clinical findings. Special consideration will be given to ketamine, ECT, TMS, psychedelics and augmentation strategies for treatment resistant depression and bipolar depression. Diagnosis and treatment of of Anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder, OCD and eating disorder patients will be presented, along with a discussion of the risks and benefits of benzodiazepines. The etiology and treatment of PTSD will be discussed. Special consideration will be given to use of blood levels and dosing and innovative combinations in the treatment of resistant psychiatric disorders. The importance of the evaluation and psychopharmacological treatment of women’s mental health issues will be addressed with particular emphasis on PMS, perinatal and postpartum disorders. The course will also include a review of the neurobiology and treatment of sleep disorders in psychiatry as well as a lecture on the neurobiology and treatment of alcohol, cannabis and other substance abuse disorders. Latest advances in geriatric psychopharmacology will be reviewed.

Anxiety and anxiety-spectrum disorders as well as their pharmacological treatment will be presented, including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. New concepts and treatments of obsessive compulsive disorder will be reviewed as well as the pharmacological treatment of borderline personality disorder. The importance of the evaluation and psychopharmacological treatment of women’s mental health issues will be addressed with particular emphasis on PMS, perinatal and postpartum disorders and treatment resistant PTSD. The course will also include a review of the role of psychopharmacology in the treatment of sleep disorders. Advances in the neurobiology and treatment of alcohol and substance abuse disorders will also be highlighted. The latest advances in child, adolescent and geriatric psychopharmacology will be emphasized. Throughout the course the establishment and importance of the therapeutic alliance when prescribing all psychotropic medications will be underscored, as will the potential hazards/benefits of polypharmacy drug interactions.