Glen Spielmans, PhD

Research Update

L-Methylfolate May Offer Modest Boost to Antidepressants

April 14, 2023

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD. Dr. Spielmans has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

A meta-analysis of this FDA-cleared supplement.

EXPERT Q&A

Duty to Warn? Debating Antidepressant Suicidality

October 30, 2020

Martha J. Ignaszewski, MD and Glen Spielmans, PhD

Martha J. Ignaszewski, MD
Fellow, University of California, San Francisco

Glen Spielmans, PhD
Professor of Psychology, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN

Dr. Ignaszewski and Dr. Spielmans have disclosed that they have no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

For 16 years, since the FDA black box warning about suicidality with antidepressants, our community has been quoting data that downplays this concern. We were wrong. We were deceived. Antidepressants can be lifesaving, but there really is a duty to warn. Drs. Martha Ignazewski and Glen Speilmans talk with us about what went on and how to talk about it with our families.

Mood Stabilizer Plus Antidepressant May Protect Against Mania

September 1, 2014

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies ertaining to this educational activity.

Most of you would hesitate to put a patient with bipolar I on antidepressants without adding a mood stabilizer, in order to prevent a switch to mania. If this is your clinical practice, you are following the recommendations of the APA consensus guidelines for the treatment of bipolar depression. But the hard data to support the danger of switching is surprisingly weak.

CBT Moderately Effective in Improving Quality of Life for Anxiety Disorders

September 1, 2014

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies ertaining to this educational activity.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be effective in reducing the symptoms of anxiety disorders. But there’s not a lot of information about whether it improves patients’ quality of life (QoL), even though one would think improvement in QoL is inherent when anxiety is reduced.

Overview of the FDA Drug Approval Process

July 1, 2014

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD Associate professor of psychology, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies ertaining to this educational activity.

After a psychiatric drug is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a marketing juggernaut often follows, trying to convince us that the newly approved drug offers substantial benefits for treating a mental disorder. But how does the FDA determine whether to approve a drug? What follows is a breakdown of the process.

RESEARCH UPDATE

Is Dose Reduction the Ideal Strategy after First Episode of Psychosis?

September 1, 2013

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Section editor, Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies ertaining to this educational activity.

What’s the optimal treatment for a first episode of psychosis? Few would argue against antipsychotic treatment, but what happens when the patient achieves remission?

Is Low Dose Lithium Effective in Bipolar Disorder?

February 1, 2013

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD Associate professor of psychology, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies ertaining to this educational activity.

Although it remains one of our oldest and most effective drugs, lithium has become less popular for the treatment of bipolar disorder in the last two decades.

Drugs Acting on Glutamate

February 1, 2013

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD Associate professor of psychology, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies ertaining to this educational activity.

You’re probably hearing a lot of talk about glutamate receptors as a new target for psychiatric therapeutics. As the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, glutamate is thought to play a role in many psychiatric conditions.

Some Popular Antipsychotics May Not be Effective in Patients over 40

January 1, 2013

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD Associate professor of psychology, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies ertaining to this educational activity.

Atypical antipsychotics are widely prescribed for a number of psychiatric diagnoses, but their real-world effectiveness has rarely been evaluated in anything other than short-term trials. A recently published study finds that four commonly used antipsychotics (aripiprazole [Abilify], olanzapine [Zyprexa], quetiapine [Seroquel], and risperidone [Risperdal]), when used in patients over age 40 with schizophrenia or psychosis associated with other conditions, may not be effective—and cause frequent side effects.

Marijuana May Hurt Cognitive Function, Worse with Heavier Use

October 1, 2012

Glen Spielmans, PhD

Glen Spielmans, PhD Associate professor of psychology, Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN Glen Spielmans, PhD, has disclosed that he has no relevant financial or other interests in any commercial companies pertaining to this educational activity.

Does marijuana affect cognitive function? There seems to be no shortage of opinions on this question, but no prospective, longitudinal study has ever been published. Until now, that is.