The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers only. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 1 CME credit.

A welcome note from Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Daniel Carlat, MD, and a list of take home points from related to this special double issue.

Prescribing psychotropic medications in patients with intellectual disability (ID) requires certain nuances in approach that may be unfamiliar to some psychiatrists. In this article, we’ll discuss some aspects of assessment and treatment that you may find useful when you encounter and work with such patients.

Psychotherapy is all about communicating, yet people with intellectual disability often have significant limitations in their communication skills, depending on their level of cognitive functioning. Is it possible for us to help these patients? If so, how? Julie Gentile, MD (www.juliegentile.com) has been looking at these questions for 20 years.

Patients with intellectual disability often have difficulty controlling their emotions, which is what leads to so-called “challenging behaviors.” These behaviors include a range of aggressive and impulsive interactions, such as assault to self or others, stealing, fire-setting, sexual offenses, and other problematic situations.

Ketamine has become increasingly popular as an off-label medication for rapid onset treatment of refractory depression. Recently, the American Psychiatric Association convened a task force to review the data and come up with some recommendations.

After reading these articles, you should be able to…

The post-test for this issue is available for one year after the publication date to subscribers. By successfully completing the test you will be awarded a certificate for 2 CME credits.

How do you start a new patient on antidepressant treatment? We do this countless times in our practices, and reviewing the topic may feel a bit like returning to residency. However, it’s important to revisit our standard operating procedures from time to time to ensure we’re thinking carefully about our decisions during our busy days.

You’ve tried different SSRIs and then some, but your patient either can’t tolerate what you’ve prescribed or simply hasn’t experienced a lift in mood. Now what? Dr. Gitlin has some ideas.