Psych Congress 2019: Session and Speaker Spotlight

Psych Congress 2019 will feature dozens of experts speaking on topics from core psychopharmacology to cutting-edge advancements in psychiatry. In the stories below, you can meet some of those speakers and learn about their expertise and the topics they will be presenting on at the 32nd annual Psych Congress.

Thursday, October 3

Welcome Session: Future Psychiatry: A Technological and Neuroscientific Convergence

Arshya Vahabzadeh, MD, understands the power neurotechnology can have in the lives of patients. The technology expert recently shared some thoughts on the future of psychiatry, which he will expand upon during his featured session.

READ MORE: How Technological Advances Could Transform Psychiatry

Innovative Non-opioids for Chronic Pain: Lofexidine, Ketamine, and Cannabidiol

The lifetime prevalence of a substance use disorder (SUD) hovers around 20% in the general population. The lifetime prevalence of chronic pain is about the same. Rates of both are much higher, however, in the psychiatric patient population.

READ MORE: The Triple Threat of Substance Abuse, Chronic Pain, and Psychiatric Disorders

Top 5 Issues Clinicians Should Know about Ketamine Therapy

Sanjay J. Mathew, MD, vice chair for research at Baylor College of Medicine and staff physician at the Michael E. Debakey VA Medical Center in Houston, Texas, will share the top 5 things that mental health clinicians should know about therapy with ketamine and esketamine.

READ MORE: Unlocking the Mysteries of the Glutamate System

Featured Session: MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD: To Phase 3 and Beyond

A leading researcher on psychedelics sees late 2021 as the target date for MDMA to complete the transition from perceived party drug to legitimate prescription medication.

READ MORE: MDMA Moving Closer to Therapeutic Use

Friday, October 4

The New Clinical Science of ECT

A series of advances in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) have been made recently, with the aim of facilitating safe and effective use of the treatment for patients with certain severe mental health disorders. Edward Coffey, MD, will bring attendees up to speed on the developments.

READ MORE: Advancements Aim to Build Trust in ECT

What Should a Psychiatrist Know About Genetics?

Today, some patients are as apt to arrive in the clinic with genetic test results from 23andMe or a pharmacogenomic testing company as they are a symptom list. John Nurnberger Jr., MD, PhD, will brief providers on the current clinical relevance of psychiatric genetics during his talk.

READ MORE: The Current and Future Roles of Genetics in Psychiatry

Confused About Cannabidiol (CBD)? A Scientific and Rational Examination of its Risks and Benefits in Psychiatry

Currently, many of our patients are using cannabinoids, especially cannabidiol (CBD) to treat their own symptoms—ranging from insomnia, to anxiety, to depression, writes Andrew Penn, RN, MS, NP, CNS, APRN-BC.

READ MORE: Cannabidiol Popularity Raises Questions for Clinicians

Saturday, October 5

What to Do When an Antidepressant Is Effective, but Your Patient Has Sexual Dysfunction

Antidepressants that ease symptoms of depression but introduce sexual dysfunction are problematic for many patients. Anita Clayton, MD, professor and chair of the department of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, will review strategies to alleviate treatment-emergent sexual dysfunction during her session.

READ MORE: When Antidepressant Treatment Leads to Sexual Dysfunction

Faded Love: A Critical Look at the Strengths and Weaknesses of Antidepressants for the Treatment of Major Depression

Psych Congress cochair Charles Raison, MD, wants mental health clinicians to be aware of the limits of standard antidepressants as well as the transformational changes emerging in the treatment of depression.

READ MORE: The Role of Antidepressants in the Treatment of Depression

Featured Session: School Shooters: Tormented Teens or Cold-Blooded Killers?

Phillip Resnick, MD, a psychiatry professor at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, will brief mental health providers on how to recognize potential school shooters in their own practices.

READ MORE: Stopping the Surge of School Shootings