iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 20h

Which antipsychotic is most effective for aggression in #schizophrenia? Clozapine, concludes new network meta-analysis, followed by paliperidone and olanzapine. See full ranking: psych-partners.com/antipsychoti... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Which form of ketamine is best for #depression? New review lands on IV ketamine and IN esketamine, with subcutaneous a distant third, and oral problematic for both efficacy and diversion. Offers tips on responsible prescribing: psych-partners.com/ketamines-fo... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Top supplements for #depression: psych-partners.com/top-suppleme... L-theanine for cognition, sleep, and possibly psych disorders: psych-partners.com/l-theanine-i... Ashwagandha improves sleep and menopausal symptoms in new trial: psych-partners.com/ashwagandha-... (Carlat CAM book coming soon)

psych-partners.com

Top Supplements for Depression - PsychPartners

Supplements that work for depression, from a large meta-analysis. Omega-3, vitamin D3, and St.John’s wort rose to the top, with 18 others beating placebo.

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Janusz Rybakowski summarizes lithium's anti-aging effects: psych-partners.com/lithiums-ant... #Lithium lowered dementia risk 18% compared to valproate in large, 10-year study: psych-partners.com/lithium-vs-v... #psychiatry #pmhnp #bipolar

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Bob Post finds 5 new reasons to use #lithium: psych-partners.com/lithium-as-a... Lithium appears to lower suicide by reducing aggression in new study: psych-partners.com/lithium-aggr... #psychiatry #pmhnp #bipolar

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Top signs that a #depression is a #bipolar type: ▪ Early onset, frequent recurrence, postpartum onset ▪ Family history of bipolar ▪ Suicide attempts, psychotic features ▪ Cyclothymic temperament, mixed features From new meta-analysis: psych-partners.com/red-flags-fo... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Cutting ultraprocessed junk food had a big effect on #depression in new, small trial. Find the resources they used in the study here: A dietary rating scale and NOVA processed food guide: psych-partners.com/cutting-junk... #psychiatry #pmhnp #nutrition #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Lumateperone reduced mania in a large phase-III trial, making it the third antipsychotic to work for both phases of #bipolar disorder: psych-partners.com/lumateperone... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Zonisamide gets its first meta-analysis in #alcohol use disorder. What's been your experience with this anticonvulsant? It had a mild benefit across 5 RCTs, but no reduction in heavy drinking days. Learn when and how to use it: psych-partners.com/zonisamide-l... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

We talk lavender for anxiety in this podcast with Let's Get Psyched: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/2... This herbal extract, branded as Silexan in Europe and over the counter in the US, treated generalized #anxiety more than an SSRI and equaled SSRIs in #depression. #naturalhealth #therapy

podcasts.apple.com

#200 - Silexan with Dr. Chris Aiken (Part 1)

Podcast Episode · Let's Get Psyched · September 1 · 30m

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

How do you tell the difference between affective temperaments and personality disorders? Psychotherapists and mood experts offer tips on borderline vs cyclothymia and narcissism vs hyperthymia: psych-partners.com/temperament-... #psychiatry #pmhnp #bpd #psychology #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Do people with #Schizophrenia mistake their inner voice for hallucinations? Hard to say, but this EEG study raises it to a strong possibility: psych-partners.com/are-auditory... #psychiatry #pmhnp #psychology

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

This study tells us to consider mirtazapine for functional dyspepsia: psych-partners.com/mirtazapine-... It's a common disorder, affected 1 in 5 people, causing fullness, stomach pain, bloating, and nausea. #psychiatry #medicine #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Omega-3s for #Autism? They improved irritability and communication in adults and children in new meta-analysis of 12 randomized trials: psych-partners.com/omega-3-find... #psychiatry #pmhnp #naturalhealth #neurodiversity #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Here's the first case reports of mania on lumateperone (Caplyta). Learn which antipsychotics are most linked to this rare reaction: psych-partners.com/lumateperone... #bipolar #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Therapeutic relationship influences med response: ▪ Effect size similar to antidepressant ▪ Depression response rises w/ visit frequency ▪ Drop-outs more like when clinicians type during visit Learn how to improve on that, from David Mintz et al: psych-partners.com/medication-a... #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

They wanted ease access to care for #ADHD. Steamline a broken system. So why are the lead physician and CEO of Done Health behind bars? Find out in the 3-part Carlat #Psychiatry Podcast: www.thecarlatreport.com/blogs/2-the-... #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Psychodynamic #therapy fell out of use for #schizophrenia after 4 small trials found no benefit for core symptoms, but can it help functioning? Here it did, as add-on to antipsychotics, in the first large trial to test that outcome: psych-partners.com/psychodynami... #psychiatry

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

New consensus on deprescribing in #bipolar and #depression: ▪ Clarifies when to taper antidepressants in bipolar, and when to continue ▪ Allow 6-12 months of recovery before most tapers ▪ Lithium requires a slow taper, at least 6 weeks More: psych-partners.com/deprescribin... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

5 Mds agree and disagree on the Clancy trial; I join in w/ Owen Muir: Part 1 thefrontierpsychiatrists.substack.com/p/the-lindsa... 2 thefrontierpsychiatrists.substack.com/p/was-lindsa... 3 thefrontierpsychiatrists.substack.com/p/if-lindsay...

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

New guidelines for negative symptoms in #schizophrenia recommend: ▪ Antidepressants ▪ Modafinils ▪ TMS And ask: is depression or antipsychotic side effects the cause? But there are other ways to personalize the treatment. Learn more: psych-partners.com/guidelines-f... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

New way to improve #depression and #bipolar. An app monitors circadian rhythms and guides people to light, darkness, sleep and activity at the biologically proper times. Study says it works, and pending its release, I've got a few biohacks to replicate it: psych-partners.com/circadian-rh...

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

This is the second trial to support an anti-inflammatory in #OCD. Learn where celexocib fits in this disorder: psych-partners.com/celecoxib-ac... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

There's a clear takeaway from this study. Consider thiamine supplementation when you see these side effects on GLP1 RAs: ▪ Persistent nausea, vomiting, low food intake, rapid weight loss Here's why: psych-partners.com/glp-1s-thiam... #psychiatry #pmhnp #medicine

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Here's how to treat #OCD in #bipolar (without antidepressants): ▪ Psychotherapy, TMS, ondansetron, topiramate, lamotrigine, celecoxib, and quetiapine New trial adds memantine to the list (it may also improve cognition... learn why: psych-partners.com/memantine-fo... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Hope is essential to treatment. It's not the same as optimism. And you don't need to be a charismatic healer to instill it. Start with this 3-step guide: psych-partners.com/three-steps-... #psychiatry #pmhnp #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Avoidant-restrictive #EatingDisorder is new to DSM, and we don't know much about how to treat it. A family-therapy approach outperformed individual #therapy in new, large trial of children: psych-partners.com/one-therapy-... #ARFID #mentalhealth #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Learn how to use a lightbox from MD who discovered it: Carlat #Psychiatry Interview with Norman Rosenthal: www.thecarlatreport.com/newsletters/... Also review of a new antipsychotic, GLP-1s, pramipexole #depression #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Probiotics improved mental health in #LongCOVID in this, the second randomized trial to test them: psych-partners.com/probiotics-f... #psychiatry #pmhnp #medicine #covid #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Do GLP-1s like #Ozempic treat binge eating disorder? Maybe, concludes analysis of 25 trials, but nearly all of them involved general binge eating in obesity, not the psychiatric disorder: psych-partners.com/glp-1-medica... #psychiatry #therapy #weightloss

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Aripiprazole worked better than paliperidone for meth and cocaine-induced psychosis in new randomized trial with 2-year follow-up: psych-partners.com/aripiprazole... What's been your experience? #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

A mega-vitamin used for #ADHD improved teen irritability, particularly disruptive mood dysregulation, in new randomized trial: psych-partners.com/micronutrien... #psychiatry #pmhnp #naturalhealth #mentalhealth #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Here's how response to lithium drops in #bipolar with delay in starting it, from new study: ▪ 69% response if started within first 3 years ▪ 50% 3-8 yr delay ▪ 44% 8-17 yr delay ▪ 40% beyond 17 years Learn more about advantages of early treatment: psych-partners.com/new-reason-t... #psychiatry

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Jules Angst (1926-2026) leaves us with a rich history. Learn how he split mood disorders into iunipolar and #bipolar, then spent the rest of his career filling in the gaps between them, and what it means for med response: psych-partners.com/remembering-... #psychiatry #pmhnp #depression

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Naltrexone inj compares favorably to buprenorphine in new meta-analysis of #opioid use disorder, but with a catch: ▪ More difficult to start ▪ Slightly higher overdose rates Learn when to use them: psych-partners.com/naltrexone-v... #psychiatry #pmhnp #addiction

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Daily almonds improved sleep quality (a little) in a large randomized trial: psych-partners.com/almonds-impr... Dark chocolate improved processing speed and verbal fluency in meta-analysis: psych-partners.com/dark-chocola... #psychiatry #pmhnp #naturalhealth #nutrition #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Ketamine works quickly in #OCD, but the effects don't last, and this review of 3 RCTs finds a new safety signal: Worsened mood 1-2 days later in some: psych-partners.com/ketamine-in-... #psychiatry #pmhnp #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Metformin lowered dementia risk in pre-diabetic patients, in this 22-24 year follow-up of a large randomized trial: psych-partners.com/metformin-an...

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A novel med reduced #PTSD nightmares in new, large randomized trial. But it comes with serious risks. Learn why: psych-partners.com/dronabinol-f... #psychiatry #pmhnp #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Is it time to reconsider lithium in old-age? New study finds it's associated with fewer medical risks than other meds in old-age #bipolar: psych-partners.com/lithium-look... Can't prove causation, but consistent with other data (it may also be more effective in older age). #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Here's are patient-ed videos on borderline personality from McClean hospital: psych-partners.com/an-online-pr... Tested in a pilot randomized trial, they were safe, feasible, and improved some outcomes. #psychiatry #pmhnp #therapy #bpd

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

The FDA lowered the bar for drug approvals from 2 to 1 trials. What could go wrong? Here’s a summary of the criticisms in NEJM, including a surprise: It may cause us to overlook some useful treatments: psych-partners.com/doctors-push... #psychiatry #pmhnp #medicine

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Alcohol-related deaths rise with the drinks: ▪ 1 in 1,000 at 6-7 drinks/week ▪ 1 in 100 above 8.5 ▪ 1 in 25 at 14 drinks/week From new model built on causal studies and 2022 CDC data: psych-partners.com/how-much-alc... #psychiatry #pmhnp #sobriety #therapy

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

In 1995, the FDA made a big mistake, allowing the industry to claim that "controlled release" made oxycodone less addictive. But new analysis reveals this wasn't the first time the government gave into industry on oxycodone: psych-partners.com/the-fda-erre... #psychiatry #pmhnp #opioidcrisis

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Silexan is a lavender extract with a large effect in #anxiety. It also treats depression, and this new analysis tells us it addresses core depressive symptoms, not just the often-associated anxiety: psych-partners.com/lavender-for... #psychiatry #pmhnp #naturalhealth

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Following practice guidelines helps, but what happens if we personalize them a bit with genetic testing? Nothing, concludes every measure in this study. Find out why genetic testing fails: psych-partners.com/follow-the-g... #psychiatry #pmhnp

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Should we taper off antipsychotics after first episode psychosis? 1. No. 2-3x higher relapse rate 2. Even riskier with chronic #schizophrenia 3. No benefit in functioning off med But there's an interesting twist on that last point 3 years later... psych-partners.com/antipsychoti... #psychiatry

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Chris Aiken, MD @chrisaikenmd.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Postpartum psychosis is not a disorder in DSM. It's a specifier. Maybe that's why it's missed. And mistreated. New proposed criteria places it in the #bipolar category, in line with the treatments that work: psych-partners.com/new-criteria... #psychiatry #pmhnp #womenshealth #therapy

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