Weekly Roundup for FEBRUARY 5, 2021: Recent Publications in Women’s Mental Health
Every week we review the most recent publications in women’s mental health, covering topics related to premenstrual symptoms, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, use of medications in pregnant and breastfeeding women, perinatal substance use, and menopausal mental health. For more detailed descriptions of many of these topics, you can sign up to receive our weekly CWMH NEWSLETTER which comes out every Thursday.  Ruta Nonacs, MD PhD PMS AND PMDD [...]
Recruiting New Mothers with Postpartum Depression for the Skylark Study
In 2019, brexanolone was introduced by Sage Therapeutics as Zulresso, a novel treatment for postpartum depression. The oral version of this novel antidepressant – SAGE 217 or zuranolone – is now finishing up its Phase 3 trials. Like brexanolone, SAGE-217 is a neurosteroid, an analogue of allopregnanolone which is a positive allosteric modulator of the GABA-A receptor. What distinguishes SAGE-217 from brexanolone is that it has much better oral bioavailability and [...]
Essential Reads:Â Clinical Challenges in the Treatment of Perimenopausal Women with Schizophrenia
Women with schizophrenia may experience worsening of their symptoms as they transition into the menopause.Â
Food for Thought: Are Women with ADHD at Increased Risk for Hormonally Mediated Mood Disorders?
While for some adults, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is relatively mild and, with effective treatment, does not have a significant impact on overall functioning or quality of life. However, it is noteworthy that the majority of adults with ADHD have a diagnosed or undiagnosed comorbid psychiatric disorder, which can make diagnosis and treatment more difficult. A new study from the Netherlands indicates that women with ADHD may be more vulnerable to hormonally [...]
Essential Reads: Phenomenology, Epidemiology and Aetiology of Postpartum Psychosis: A Review
Postpartum psychosis affects 1 to 2 per 1000 women after childbirth. About 40% of women who experience postpartum psychosis do not have a history of psychiatric illness; however, women with bipolar disorder or a history of postpartum psychosis are at particularly high risk. While we know that childbirth is a potent trigger of severe psychiatric illness, the precise mechanisms by which postpartum psychosis occurs are poorly understood. This week’s Essential Read [...]
Using the WHIPLASHED Mnemonic to Distinguish Unipolar from Bipolar Depression
Women with bipolar disorder (BD) are at extremely high risk for postpartum psychiatric illness, including postpartum psychosis. While the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology now recommends that all women be screened for depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, we have little information regarding the screening tools that are best suited for the identification of women with bipolar disorder. Many sites now use the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for [...]