Wellbutrin XL was approved for the prevention of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), based on the results three studies in which over 1,000 patients with SAD (but who were well at study entry) were randomly assigned to either Wellbutrin XL 150 to 300 mg QD or placebo. Do insurance companies pay for light boxes? Many of them do … or at least they say they do!

Dr. Rosenthal, as the “father” of light therapy, how did you got interested in doing research on seasonal affective disorder?

After reading these articles, you should be able to…

Recently three new psychostimulant formulations have been approved (Daytrana, the Ritalin patch, and Focalin XR), and one older medication received a new indication (Adderall XR is now indicated for adult ADHD).

On April 6, 2006, the FDA announced the approval of Daytrana, a transdermal patch version of Ritalin (methylphenidate). While you wouldn’t know it by the gushy promotional copy on Daytrana’s website (www.daytrana.com), the Ritalin patch just barely squeaked through the FDA approval process.

Rarely has a 7-year old with a rash caused the stock price of a major corporation to gyrate so dramatically.

Mr. H., now 49, was first diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 40, when he was evaluated at the suggestion of an old friend, a psychologist who had known him in grade school.

Dr. Diller, as a behavioral pediatrician you certainly prescribe stimulants and other psychiatric medications to children, but at the same time you have spent much of your career speaking and writing about some the potential negative consequences of the excessive use of stimulants. You’ve also studied the history of stimulant use, and have thought about how this can inform our decisions now.

After reading these articles, you should be able to…

We’ve all noticed the trend: children are increasingly being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This issue is controversial, because psychiatrists are already accused of overmedicating children.