Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast Q&A with Dr. Cummings Part 2
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May 29, 2024 
Dr. Michael Cummings discusses various topics including the effects of Valproic Acid in men during pregnancy, differences between lithium and Depakote as mood stabilizers, sustainability of Electroconvulsive Therapy for chronic catatonia, early signs of psychopathy in children, restless leg syndrome, timing for checking lithium levels, treatment of dementia patients, and innovative treatments in psychiatry. He also shares his personal journey from losing sight in the Navy to becoming a psychiatrist.
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Checking Lithium Levels
- Check lithium levels 12 hours after the last dose for accurate trough measurement.
- Labs use 12-hour trough values as the standard for lithium level ranges.
Dementia Behavioral Disturbances
- Treat dementia behavioral disturbances with SSRIs or low-dose, multiple-daily trazadone, alongside cholinesterase inhibitors.
- Antipsychotics are effective for psychosis but increase mortality; SSRIs have a lower risk.
Benzodiazepines and Stimulants
- Co-prescribing benzodiazepines and stimulants is pharmacologically contradictory, affecting opposing neuronal activities.
- Occasional benzodiazepine use for acute anxiety in stimulant users can reduce stimulant efficacy.