CME Outfitters Announces New neuroscienceCME Clinical Navigator™: “Atypical Antipsychotics for Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder”

New CE monograph, edited by Charles B. Nemeroff, MD, PhD, reviews neurobiological and clinical evidence related to the pathophysiology, presentation, and management of bipolar depression, with a specific emphasis on atypical antipsychotics.

Rockville, MD (EMWNews) August 14, 2008 — CME Outfitters, LLC, an independent accredited provider of multidisciplinary medical education programming and related healthcare communications services, is pleased to announce the premiere of a neuroscienceCME Clinical Navigator™ monograph titled “Atypical Antipsychotics for Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder.”

Available now in PDF format, the new CE monograph reviews neurobiological and clinical evidence related to the pathophysiology, presentation, and management of bipolar depression, with a specific emphasis on atypical antipsychotics. There is no fee to participate or receive CE credit for this educational activity; however, registration is required. To participate, visit the activity details page at http://www.neuroscienceCME.com/PR331 and click the Download Monograph icon.

Statement of Need:

Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are severe and debilitating mental illnesses associated with significant psychiatric and medical morbidity as well as mortality. Although these are distinct disorders, they share some common neurobiological alterations and symptoms. One symptom domain common to both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder is depressive symptoms. In both disorders, depressive symptoms are often refractory to treatment, and can undermine the achievement of functional recovery, leading to increased hospitalizations, reduced functional status, suicidal ideation and/or behavior, and possibly relapse. The effective treatment of depressive symptoms in schizophrenia, largely understudied, and in bipolar depression has been widely viewed as a significant unmet medical need, and more research and education are needed to improve outcomes. Rational pharmacotherapy relies on advancing our understanding of the neurobiological substrates of the disorder and the pharmacology of available and emerging agents. The challenges of optimizing treatment for this population are compounded by iatrogenic effects of many of the drugs used to treat these symptoms, as well as the potential adverse pharmacokinetic interactions that limit treatment options. This neuroscienceCME Clinical Navigator™ will review the available data on the neurobiology and pharmacotherapy of depression in patients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Faculty:

Charles B. Nemeroff, MD, PhD

Reunette W. Harris Professor and Chairman

Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Emory University School of Medicine

Atlanta, GA

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this CE activity, participants should be able to:

– Identify the commonalities between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in terms of depressive symptomatology.

– Explain what is known about the neurobiological substrates underlying depression.

– Compare and contrast available antipsychotic medications with respect to their effects on depressive symptoms in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

– Translate data on neurobiology, dopamine receptor pharmacology, and iatrogenic effects of antipsychotics into individualized treatment plans for depressive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

Target Audience:

Physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals with an interest in mental health.

Commercial Support:

CME Outfitters, LLC, gratefully acknowledges an educational grant from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and Solvay Pharmaceuticals in support of this CE activity.

Credit Information:

CME Credit (Physicians):

CME Outfitters, LLC, is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. CME Outfitters, LLC, designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Note to Physician Assistants: AAPA accepts Category I credit from AOACCME, Prescribed credit from AAFP, and AMA Category I CME credit for the PRA from organizations accredited by ACCME.

CNE Credit (Nurses):

CME Outfitters, LLC, is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the New York State Nurses Association, which is accredited as an approver of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

It has been assigned code 6WASUP-PRV-0641. 1.0 contact hour (Pharmacology)

Note to Nurse Practitioners: The content of this CNE activity pertains to Pharmacology.

CPE Credit (Pharmacists):

CME Outfitters, LLC, is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. 1.0 contact hours (0.1 CEUs)

Universal Program Number: 376-000-08-018-H01-P

All other clinicians will either receive a CME Attendance Certificate or may choose any of the types of CE credit being offered.

Post-tests, credit request forms, and activity evaluations can be completed online at www.neuroscienceCME.com (click on the Testing/Certification link under the Resources tab – requires free account activation), and participants can print their certificate or statement of credit immediately (70% pass rate required). CE credit for this activity expires on August 6, 2009.

About CME Outfitters:

CME Outfitters develops and distributes live, recorded, print, and web-based educational activities to thousands of clinicians each year and offers expert accreditation services for non-accredited organizations. For a complete catalog of certified activities, please visit http://www.cmeoutfitters.com, http://www.neuroscienceCME.com, or call 877.CME.PROS (877.263.7767).

About neuroscienceCME:

neuroscienceCME.com is the award-winning web portal serving clinicians, educators, and researchers in the neurosciences. Launched in October 2006, neuroscienceCME.com was custom designed to fill an identified gap in online resources for professionals around the world who are practicing in areas related to psychiatry, sleep disorders, addiction and substance abuse, ADHD, and other areas related to brain function. The site’s primary mission is to be the professional’s central forum for accessing, debating, synthesizing, and implementing the latest findings and best practices in the neurosciences.

To view all recent neuroscienceCME press releases, visit http://www.neuroscienceCME.com and click on “News Room” or visit https://emwnews.com and search for “neuroscienceCME.”

Clinical Compass™, a bi-weekly e-newsletter published by CME Outfitters, is a convenient way to stay informed of all neuroscienceCME news and information. To subscribe, visit http://www.neuroscienceCME.com and click on “Subscribe to Clinical Compass™.”

Contact: Jessica Primanzon

CME Outfitters, LLC

240.243.1308 direct

240.243.1033 fax