About the Presenter
Ross Baldessarini, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry and in Neuroscience at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Psychopharmacology Program and the International Consortium for Bipolar Disorder Research at McLean Hospital. Dr. Baldessarini is widely known for his research and teaching in psychopharmacology and general psychiatry. He is the author of over
1,920 scientific papers and several books, including Chemotherapy in Psychiatry: Principles and Practice, as well as the chapters on psychopharmacology in the standard textbook of pharmacology, Goodman & Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. He serves on many editorial boards, including that of the Archives of General Psychiatry. For his exceptional teaching skills, Dr. Baldessarini was awarded the first prestigious NEEI Mental Health Educator of the Year award in 1998.
Symposium Description
Dr. Baldessarini's symposium will review the current status of psychotropic drug treatment of major mental illnesses with an emphasis on the research base on which sound clinical practice should rest. Participants will learn an integration of preclinical and clinical research findings and relate these to principles of informed clinical decision-making so as to enhance treatment effectiveness and safety. Participants will learn an updated view of the chemical nature of agents in each class, their major actions, and disposition, with emphasis on clinical uses for short- and long-term treatment, applications in pediatric and geriatric practice, risks of adverse effects, and emerging advances in new and experimental treatments.
Symposium Schedule
Monday
Neurobiological action mechanisms of antipsychotics
Pharmacokinetics
Clinical indications
Questions and discussion
Tuesday
Comparative efficacy among antipsychotic drugs
Long-term indications, effectiveness and risks of antipsychotics
Questions and discussion
Wednesday
Short-term management of acute manic-depressive illnesses
Long-term prophylaxis for bipolar disorder
Assessment and management of adverse effects of mood-stabilizers
Questions and discussion
Thursday
Neurobiological action mechanisms of antidepressants
Pharmacokinetics and blood levels
Clinical indications for antidepressant use in mood, anxiety, and other disorders
Effectiveness of long-term antidepressant treatment
Adverse effects of antidepressants
Questions and discussions
Friday
Enhancing long-term treatment-adherence through a "consumer's" perspective
Integration of pharmacotherapy with comprehensive care of patients
Open discussion
