Functional Recovery in Major Depressive Disorder: Focus on Early Optimized Treatment.

Objective: This article presents the case that a more rapid, individualized approach to treating major depressive disorder (MDD) may increase the likelihood of achieving full symptomatic and functional recovery for individual patients and that studies show it is possible to make earlier decisions about appropriateness of treatment in order to rapidly optimize that treatment.

Data Sources: A PubMed search was conducted using terms including major depressive disorder, early improvement, predictor, duration of untreated illness, and function. English-language articles published before September 2015 were included.

Paroxetine versus placebo and other agents for depressive disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To compare paroxetine with placebo and other antidepressants across multiple efficacy and tolerability outcomes.

Data Sources: Searches were conducted in MEDLINE (1966-2004), EMBASE (1980-2004), CINAHL (1982-2004), all Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews (1991-2004), HealthSTAR (1975-2004), BIOSIS (1980-2004), and PsycINFO (1840-2004). Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) included "paroxetine" OR "Paxil" exploded.

Striatal function in generalized social phobia: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

Background: Although evidence suggests the involvement of the amygdala in generalized social phobia (GSP), few studies have examined other neural regions. Clinical, preclinical, and dopamine receptor imaging studies demonstrating altered dopaminergic functioning in GSP suggest an association with striatal dysfunction. This is the first functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to use a cognitive task known to involve the striatum to examine the neural correlates of GSP.

Do antipsychotics ameliorate or exacerbate Obsessive Compulsive Disorder symptoms? A systematic review.

Background: Paradoxically, some reports in the literature support the use of antipsychotics in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), while other reports suggest that antipsychotics can exacerbate OCD symptoms. To date, there is no published systematic review of the relationship between OCD symptoms and antipsychotic drugs.

Methods: A Medline and PsychInfo search (1980-2003) was conducted to collect published reports of the interactions between antipsychotics and OCD symptoms.

Deficits in perceived social support associated with generalized social phobia.

Social phobia is a common anxiety disorder associated with significant impairment in social and occupational functioning. To date, few studies have examined the relationship between social phobia and perceived social support, a construct with important relationships to physical and mental health. The present study examined data from 2 widely used measures of perceived social support administered to 132 individuals with DSM-IV generalized social phobia.

Long-term goals in the management of acute and chronic anxiety disorders.

Many anxiety disorders are not treated to remission (symptom-free state); however, this should be the minimum goal of therapy. Antidepressant therapies have shown significant beneficial effects in the management of anxiety disorders, with some variability in results in specific disorders. In social anxiety disorder, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and venlafaxine extended release (XR) have demonstrated efficacy, with response rates varying between 40% and 68%.

An open-label clinical trial of nefazodone in hypochondriasis.

Hypochondriasis is a common and challenging problem in general medical practice, but little research is available on pharmacotherapeutic treatment approaches. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the use of nefazodone in the treatment of hypochondriasis in an open-label trial. Eleven patients with a primary diagnosis of DSM-IV hypochondriasis received an 8-week trial of nefazodone with a maximum dose of 600 mg/day and a mean dose of 432 mg.