Depression

Key clinical point: Neuronavigation-guided high-dose repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may be a novel method to rapidly reduce suicidal ideation in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Major finding: The rTMS vs. sham group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (−14.76 vs. −4.71), 24-item Hamilton Depression rating scale (−19.19 vs. −4.48), and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores (−19.67 vs. −4.33) on day 7 (P less than .001 for all).

Study details: A total of 42 treatment-naïve patients with MDD with suicidal ideation were randomly assigned to receive escitalopram oxalate in combination with rTMS via either active (n = 21) or sham coil (n = 21) for 1 week.

Disclosures: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Citation: Pan F et al. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Apr 22. doi: 10.1002/cpt.1858.

Key clinical point: Neuronavigation-guided high-dose repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may be a novel method to rapidly reduce suicidal ideation in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Major finding: The rTMS vs. sham group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (−14.76 vs. −4.71), 24-item Hamilton Depression rating scale (−19.19 vs. −4.48), and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores (−19.67 vs. −4.33) on day 7 (P less than .001 for all).

Study details: A total of 42 treatment-naïve patients with MDD with suicidal ideation were randomly assigned to receive escitalopram oxalate in combination with rTMS via either active (n = 21) or sham coil (n = 21) for 1 week.

Disclosures: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Citation: Pan F et al. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Apr 22. doi: 10.1002/cpt.1858.

Key clinical point: Neuronavigation-guided high-dose repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may be a novel method to rapidly reduce suicidal ideation in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Major finding: The rTMS vs. sham group demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in the Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (−14.76 vs. −4.71), 24-item Hamilton Depression rating scale (−19.19 vs. −4.48), and Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores (−19.67 vs. −4.33) on day 7 (P less than .001 for all).

Study details: A total of 42 treatment-naïve patients with MDD with suicidal ideation were randomly assigned to receive escitalopram oxalate in combination with rTMS via either active (n = 21) or sham coil (n = 21) for 1 week.

Disclosures: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Citation: Pan F et al. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2020 Apr 22. doi: 10.1002/cpt.1858.

Key clinical point: The addition of pimavanserin to ongoing treatment improves sexual function in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Major finding: Pimavanserin vs. placebo significantly improved the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Functioning Index mean scores from baseline to week 5 (least square mean difference, −0.634; P = .0002). Item 14 scores (sexual interest) on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale improved significantly with pimavanserin vs. placebo (P less than .05).

Study details: This secondary analysis of the CLARITY study included 203 patients with MDD randomly assigned to either pimavanserin (n = 51) or placebo (n = 152) in addition to their current treatment.

Disclosures: This study was funded by ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Marlene Freeman: Investigator Initiated Trials/Research: Takeda, JayMac, Sage; Advisory boards: Otsuka, Alkermes, Janssen, Sage; Sunovion; Independent Data Safety and Monitoring Committee: Janssen (Johnson & Johnson); Medical Editing: GOED newsletter. Speaking/honoraria: U.S. Psychiatric Congress, Medscape. He is an employee of Massachusetts General Hospital and works with the MGH National Pregnancy Registry.

Citation: Freeman MP et al. Depress Anxiety. 2020 Apr 17. doi: 10.1002/da.23017.

Key clinical point: The addition of pimavanserin to ongoing treatment improves sexual function in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Major finding: Pimavanserin vs. placebo significantly improved the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Functioning Index mean scores from baseline to week 5 (least square mean difference, −0.634; P = .0002). Item 14 scores (sexual interest) on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale improved significantly with pimavanserin vs. placebo (P less than .05).

Study details: This secondary analysis of the CLARITY study included 203 patients with MDD randomly assigned to either pimavanserin (n = 51) or placebo (n = 152) in addition to their current treatment.

Disclosures: This study was funded by ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Marlene Freeman: Investigator Initiated Trials/Research: Takeda, JayMac, Sage; Advisory boards: Otsuka, Alkermes, Janssen, Sage; Sunovion; Independent Data Safety and Monitoring Committee: Janssen (Johnson & Johnson); Medical Editing: GOED newsletter. Speaking/honoraria: U.S. Psychiatric Congress, Medscape. He is an employee of Massachusetts General Hospital and works with the MGH National Pregnancy Registry.

Citation: Freeman MP et al. Depress Anxiety. 2020 Apr 17. doi: 10.1002/da.23017.

Key clinical point: The addition of pimavanserin to ongoing treatment improves sexual function in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Major finding: Pimavanserin vs. placebo significantly improved the Massachusetts General Hospital Sexual Functioning Index mean scores from baseline to week 5 (least square mean difference, −0.634; P = .0002). Item 14 scores (sexual interest) on the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale improved significantly with pimavanserin vs. placebo (P less than .05).

Study details: This secondary analysis of the CLARITY study included 203 patients with MDD randomly assigned to either pimavanserin (n = 51) or placebo (n = 152) in addition to their current treatment.

Disclosures: This study was funded by ACADIA Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Marlene Freeman: Investigator Initiated Trials/Research: Takeda, JayMac, Sage; Advisory boards: Otsuka, Alkermes, Janssen, Sage; Sunovion; Independent Data Safety and Monitoring Committee: Janssen (Johnson & Johnson); Medical Editing: GOED newsletter. Speaking/honoraria: U.S. Psychiatric Congress, Medscape. He is an employee of Massachusetts General Hospital and works with the MGH National Pregnancy Registry.

Citation: Freeman MP et al. Depress Anxiety. 2020 Apr 17. doi: 10.1002/da.23017.

Psychosocial interventions, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are associated with enhanced immune system function, new research suggests.

Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis that included 56 randomized controlled trials and more than 4,000 participants showed that over time, psychosocial interventions appeared to augment beneficial immune system function while concurrently decreasing harmful immune system function in comparison with control conditions.

“These associations were most reliable for cognitive-behavioral therapy and multiple or combined interventions and for studies that assessed proinflammatory cytokines or markers, which are key indicators of inflammation in the body,” study investigator George M. Slavich, PhD, said in an interview.

“The analysis helps address the question of which types of psychosocial interventions are most consistently associated with changes in immune system function, under what conditions, and for whom. This knowledge could, in turn, be used to inform research efforts and public policy aimed at using psychosocial interventions to improve immune-related health outcomes,” added Dr. Slavich, director of the Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research, University of California, Los Angeles.

The study was published online June 3 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Link to serious physical, mental illnesses

There is substantial evidence that the immune system plays a role in a variety of mental and physical health problems. Such problems include anxiety disorders, depression, suicide, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. It has been recently suggested that more than half of all deaths worldwide are attributable to inflammation-related conditions.

Although pharmacologic interventions can play a role in addressing inflammation, they are not without drawbacks, most notably, cost and adverse side effects.

The World Health Organization, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, and other groups have emphasized the importance of addressing global disease burden through psychosocial interventions when possible.

Such recommendations are supported by scientific evidence. Previous research has shown that immune system processes are influenced by a variety of social, neurocognitive, and behavioral factors.

Given such findings, researchers have examined the effects of interventions that reduce stress or bolster psychological resources on immune system function.

However, such research has yielded conflicting findings. Some studies show that psychosocial interventions clearly enhance immunity, whereas others do not.

In addition, questions remain regarding which types of interventions reliably improve immune system function, under what conditions, and for whom.

“Research has shown that psychological factors – such as life stress, negative emotions, and social support – are associated with changes in immune system function,” Dr. Slavich noted.

“In addition, there is growing appreciation that immune system processes involved in inflammation may contribute to peoples’ risk for several major mental and physical health problems, including anxiety disorders, depression, heart disease, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders.”
 

First study of its kind

To shed light on these potential links, the researchers conducted what they believe is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials of the effects of psychosocial interventions on immune system outcomes.

As part of the review, Dr. Slavich and colleagues estimated the associations between eight psychosocial interventions and seven markers of immune system function.

The eight psychosocial interventions were behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, CBT, CBT plus additive treatment or mode of delivery, bereavement or supportive therapy, multiple or combined interventions, other psychotherapy, and psychoeducation.

The seven immune outcomes that might be influenced by these interventions are proinflammatory cytokines and markers, anti-inflammatory cytokines, antibodies, immune cell counts, natural killer cell activity, viral load, and other immune outcomes.

The researchers also examined nine potential factors that might moderate the associations between psychosocial interventions and immune system function.

They searched a variety of databases for all relevant randomized controlled trials published through Dec. 31, 2018. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included a psychosocial intervention and immune outcome, as well as preintervention and postintervention immunologic assessments.

The researchers identified 4,621 studies. Of these studies, 62 were eligible for inclusion; 56, which included 4,060 patients, were included in the final meta-analysis.

Results showed that psychosocial interventions were associated with enhanced immune system function (P < .001). There was relatively low heterogeneity between studies in these effect sizes, which, the investigators said, indicates that the association was relatively consistent across studies and conditions.

The meta-analysis showed that individuals who were assigned to a psychosocial intervention condition demonstrated a 14.7% improvement (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7%–23.8%) in beneficial immune system function compared with their counterparts who were assigned to a control condition.

Similarly, participants who received psychosocial interventions demonstrated an 18.0% decrease (95% CI, 7.2%–28.8%) in harmful immune system function over time.

A standout

Regarding the effect of the type of intervention on the association, only CBT (31 studies; P < .001) and multiple or combined interventions (seven studies; P = .01) were significantly associated with changes in immune system outcomes.

The analysis also found that interventions that included a group component were more consistently associated with enhanced immune function than were those that did not include a group component. Nevertheless, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .06).

Contrary to the researchers’ expectations, the analysis also revealed that intervention length did not moderate the association between psychosocial interventions and immune system function (P = .93).

With respect to the type of immune marker studied, the meta-analysis found that psychosocial interventions had significantly different associations with the various immune markers studied. Of the seven immune outcomes investigated, only proinflammatory cytokine or marker levels (33 studies; P < .001) and immune cell counts (27 studies; P < .001) were significantly associated with the psychosocial interventions examined.

The associations between psychosocial intervention and immune system function persisted for at least 6 months following treatment and were robust across age, sex, and intervention duration.

These results suggest that psychosocial interventions – particularly CBT and multiple or combined psychotherapeutic modalities – may play an important role in improving immune-related health outcomes.

Such interventions may not only be effective, they may also prove to be affordable alternatives to current therapeutic options. The mean length of a CBT intervention in the meta-analysis was 10.4 weeks, which the investigators equated with a total cost of $1,560 per patient.

“By comparison, the cost of using infliximab to reduce inflammation in persons with an autoimmune disorder is approximately $25,000 per patient per year,” they wrote.

“The results suggest the possibility that psychotherapy may be helpful for reducing inflammation and improving immune-related health in certain circumstances,” Dr. Slavich concluded. “However, the studies that we examined differed in terms of their quality, and we did not examine health outcomes in the present investigation.

“Therefore, more research needs to be done to determine how the present findings might be translated into treatment options or public policy.”
 

A path to better health

In an accompanying editorial, Veronika Engert, PhD, Joshua A. Grant, PhD, and Bernhard Strauss, PhD, noted that although infectious disease was once the primary cause of death in society, it has been supplanted by other complex and chronic illnesses, which often do not follow simple cause-and-effect associations.

“Rather,” they wrote, “these illnesses develop from a complex milieu of biological, psychological, and social factors that may also influence the disease progress and its prognosis. Against this backdrop, the meta-analysis by Shields and colleagues is an important confirmation of the biopsychosocial model.”

The editorialists explained that recent psychophysiological, neurobiological, and epigenetic research offers a glimpse into the relationship between psychological and social factors in pathogenesis. Nevertheless, the authors noted that a comprehensive examination of the potential effects of psychosocial interventions on immune parameters in various physical health conditions has been lacking.

“The evidence provided by Shields et al. is exactly what is needed to more fully shift treatment from an illness-centered to a patient-centered approach,” they wrote. “To that end, this meta-analysis may serve as a guide for policy makers aiming to improve immune-associated health.”

The research was supported by a Society in Science–Branco Weiss Fellowship, Brain and Behavior Research, and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Slavich, Dr. Engert, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Strauss have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

Psychosocial interventions, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are associated with enhanced immune system function, new research suggests.

Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis that included 56 randomized controlled trials and more than 4,000 participants showed that over time, psychosocial interventions appeared to augment beneficial immune system function while concurrently decreasing harmful immune system function in comparison with control conditions.

“These associations were most reliable for cognitive-behavioral therapy and multiple or combined interventions and for studies that assessed proinflammatory cytokines or markers, which are key indicators of inflammation in the body,” study investigator George M. Slavich, PhD, said in an interview.

“The analysis helps address the question of which types of psychosocial interventions are most consistently associated with changes in immune system function, under what conditions, and for whom. This knowledge could, in turn, be used to inform research efforts and public policy aimed at using psychosocial interventions to improve immune-related health outcomes,” added Dr. Slavich, director of the Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research, University of California, Los Angeles.

The study was published online June 3 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Link to serious physical, mental illnesses

There is substantial evidence that the immune system plays a role in a variety of mental and physical health problems. Such problems include anxiety disorders, depression, suicide, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. It has been recently suggested that more than half of all deaths worldwide are attributable to inflammation-related conditions.

Although pharmacologic interventions can play a role in addressing inflammation, they are not without drawbacks, most notably, cost and adverse side effects.

The World Health Organization, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, and other groups have emphasized the importance of addressing global disease burden through psychosocial interventions when possible.

Such recommendations are supported by scientific evidence. Previous research has shown that immune system processes are influenced by a variety of social, neurocognitive, and behavioral factors.

Given such findings, researchers have examined the effects of interventions that reduce stress or bolster psychological resources on immune system function.

However, such research has yielded conflicting findings. Some studies show that psychosocial interventions clearly enhance immunity, whereas others do not.

In addition, questions remain regarding which types of interventions reliably improve immune system function, under what conditions, and for whom.

“Research has shown that psychological factors – such as life stress, negative emotions, and social support – are associated with changes in immune system function,” Dr. Slavich noted.

“In addition, there is growing appreciation that immune system processes involved in inflammation may contribute to peoples’ risk for several major mental and physical health problems, including anxiety disorders, depression, heart disease, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders.”
 

First study of its kind

To shed light on these potential links, the researchers conducted what they believe is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials of the effects of psychosocial interventions on immune system outcomes.

As part of the review, Dr. Slavich and colleagues estimated the associations between eight psychosocial interventions and seven markers of immune system function.

The eight psychosocial interventions were behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, CBT, CBT plus additive treatment or mode of delivery, bereavement or supportive therapy, multiple or combined interventions, other psychotherapy, and psychoeducation.

The seven immune outcomes that might be influenced by these interventions are proinflammatory cytokines and markers, anti-inflammatory cytokines, antibodies, immune cell counts, natural killer cell activity, viral load, and other immune outcomes.

The researchers also examined nine potential factors that might moderate the associations between psychosocial interventions and immune system function.

They searched a variety of databases for all relevant randomized controlled trials published through Dec. 31, 2018. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included a psychosocial intervention and immune outcome, as well as preintervention and postintervention immunologic assessments.

The researchers identified 4,621 studies. Of these studies, 62 were eligible for inclusion; 56, which included 4,060 patients, were included in the final meta-analysis.

Results showed that psychosocial interventions were associated with enhanced immune system function (P < .001). There was relatively low heterogeneity between studies in these effect sizes, which, the investigators said, indicates that the association was relatively consistent across studies and conditions.

The meta-analysis showed that individuals who were assigned to a psychosocial intervention condition demonstrated a 14.7% improvement (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7%–23.8%) in beneficial immune system function compared with their counterparts who were assigned to a control condition.

Similarly, participants who received psychosocial interventions demonstrated an 18.0% decrease (95% CI, 7.2%–28.8%) in harmful immune system function over time.

A standout

Regarding the effect of the type of intervention on the association, only CBT (31 studies; P < .001) and multiple or combined interventions (seven studies; P = .01) were significantly associated with changes in immune system outcomes.

The analysis also found that interventions that included a group component were more consistently associated with enhanced immune function than were those that did not include a group component. Nevertheless, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .06).

Contrary to the researchers’ expectations, the analysis also revealed that intervention length did not moderate the association between psychosocial interventions and immune system function (P = .93).

With respect to the type of immune marker studied, the meta-analysis found that psychosocial interventions had significantly different associations with the various immune markers studied. Of the seven immune outcomes investigated, only proinflammatory cytokine or marker levels (33 studies; P < .001) and immune cell counts (27 studies; P < .001) were significantly associated with the psychosocial interventions examined.

The associations between psychosocial intervention and immune system function persisted for at least 6 months following treatment and were robust across age, sex, and intervention duration.

These results suggest that psychosocial interventions – particularly CBT and multiple or combined psychotherapeutic modalities – may play an important role in improving immune-related health outcomes.

Such interventions may not only be effective, they may also prove to be affordable alternatives to current therapeutic options. The mean length of a CBT intervention in the meta-analysis was 10.4 weeks, which the investigators equated with a total cost of $1,560 per patient.

“By comparison, the cost of using infliximab to reduce inflammation in persons with an autoimmune disorder is approximately $25,000 per patient per year,” they wrote.

“The results suggest the possibility that psychotherapy may be helpful for reducing inflammation and improving immune-related health in certain circumstances,” Dr. Slavich concluded. “However, the studies that we examined differed in terms of their quality, and we did not examine health outcomes in the present investigation.

“Therefore, more research needs to be done to determine how the present findings might be translated into treatment options or public policy.”
 

A path to better health

In an accompanying editorial, Veronika Engert, PhD, Joshua A. Grant, PhD, and Bernhard Strauss, PhD, noted that although infectious disease was once the primary cause of death in society, it has been supplanted by other complex and chronic illnesses, which often do not follow simple cause-and-effect associations.

“Rather,” they wrote, “these illnesses develop from a complex milieu of biological, psychological, and social factors that may also influence the disease progress and its prognosis. Against this backdrop, the meta-analysis by Shields and colleagues is an important confirmation of the biopsychosocial model.”

The editorialists explained that recent psychophysiological, neurobiological, and epigenetic research offers a glimpse into the relationship between psychological and social factors in pathogenesis. Nevertheless, the authors noted that a comprehensive examination of the potential effects of psychosocial interventions on immune parameters in various physical health conditions has been lacking.

“The evidence provided by Shields et al. is exactly what is needed to more fully shift treatment from an illness-centered to a patient-centered approach,” they wrote. “To that end, this meta-analysis may serve as a guide for policy makers aiming to improve immune-associated health.”

The research was supported by a Society in Science–Branco Weiss Fellowship, Brain and Behavior Research, and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Slavich, Dr. Engert, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Strauss have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

Psychosocial interventions, particularly cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), are associated with enhanced immune system function, new research suggests.

Results of a systematic review and meta-analysis that included 56 randomized controlled trials and more than 4,000 participants showed that over time, psychosocial interventions appeared to augment beneficial immune system function while concurrently decreasing harmful immune system function in comparison with control conditions.

“These associations were most reliable for cognitive-behavioral therapy and multiple or combined interventions and for studies that assessed proinflammatory cytokines or markers, which are key indicators of inflammation in the body,” study investigator George M. Slavich, PhD, said in an interview.

“The analysis helps address the question of which types of psychosocial interventions are most consistently associated with changes in immune system function, under what conditions, and for whom. This knowledge could, in turn, be used to inform research efforts and public policy aimed at using psychosocial interventions to improve immune-related health outcomes,” added Dr. Slavich, director of the Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research, University of California, Los Angeles.

The study was published online June 3 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Link to serious physical, mental illnesses

There is substantial evidence that the immune system plays a role in a variety of mental and physical health problems. Such problems include anxiety disorders, depression, suicide, schizophrenia, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. It has been recently suggested that more than half of all deaths worldwide are attributable to inflammation-related conditions.

Although pharmacologic interventions can play a role in addressing inflammation, they are not without drawbacks, most notably, cost and adverse side effects.

The World Health Organization, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, and other groups have emphasized the importance of addressing global disease burden through psychosocial interventions when possible.

Such recommendations are supported by scientific evidence. Previous research has shown that immune system processes are influenced by a variety of social, neurocognitive, and behavioral factors.

Given such findings, researchers have examined the effects of interventions that reduce stress or bolster psychological resources on immune system function.

However, such research has yielded conflicting findings. Some studies show that psychosocial interventions clearly enhance immunity, whereas others do not.

In addition, questions remain regarding which types of interventions reliably improve immune system function, under what conditions, and for whom.

“Research has shown that psychological factors – such as life stress, negative emotions, and social support – are associated with changes in immune system function,” Dr. Slavich noted.

“In addition, there is growing appreciation that immune system processes involved in inflammation may contribute to peoples’ risk for several major mental and physical health problems, including anxiety disorders, depression, heart disease, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders.”
 

First study of its kind

To shed light on these potential links, the researchers conducted what they believe is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials of the effects of psychosocial interventions on immune system outcomes.

As part of the review, Dr. Slavich and colleagues estimated the associations between eight psychosocial interventions and seven markers of immune system function.

The eight psychosocial interventions were behavior therapy, cognitive therapy, CBT, CBT plus additive treatment or mode of delivery, bereavement or supportive therapy, multiple or combined interventions, other psychotherapy, and psychoeducation.

The seven immune outcomes that might be influenced by these interventions are proinflammatory cytokines and markers, anti-inflammatory cytokines, antibodies, immune cell counts, natural killer cell activity, viral load, and other immune outcomes.

The researchers also examined nine potential factors that might moderate the associations between psychosocial interventions and immune system function.

They searched a variety of databases for all relevant randomized controlled trials published through Dec. 31, 2018. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they included a psychosocial intervention and immune outcome, as well as preintervention and postintervention immunologic assessments.

The researchers identified 4,621 studies. Of these studies, 62 were eligible for inclusion; 56, which included 4,060 patients, were included in the final meta-analysis.

Results showed that psychosocial interventions were associated with enhanced immune system function (P < .001). There was relatively low heterogeneity between studies in these effect sizes, which, the investigators said, indicates that the association was relatively consistent across studies and conditions.

The meta-analysis showed that individuals who were assigned to a psychosocial intervention condition demonstrated a 14.7% improvement (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.7%–23.8%) in beneficial immune system function compared with their counterparts who were assigned to a control condition.

Similarly, participants who received psychosocial interventions demonstrated an 18.0% decrease (95% CI, 7.2%–28.8%) in harmful immune system function over time.

A standout

Regarding the effect of the type of intervention on the association, only CBT (31 studies; P < .001) and multiple or combined interventions (seven studies; P = .01) were significantly associated with changes in immune system outcomes.

The analysis also found that interventions that included a group component were more consistently associated with enhanced immune function than were those that did not include a group component. Nevertheless, this difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .06).

Contrary to the researchers’ expectations, the analysis also revealed that intervention length did not moderate the association between psychosocial interventions and immune system function (P = .93).

With respect to the type of immune marker studied, the meta-analysis found that psychosocial interventions had significantly different associations with the various immune markers studied. Of the seven immune outcomes investigated, only proinflammatory cytokine or marker levels (33 studies; P < .001) and immune cell counts (27 studies; P < .001) were significantly associated with the psychosocial interventions examined.

The associations between psychosocial intervention and immune system function persisted for at least 6 months following treatment and were robust across age, sex, and intervention duration.

These results suggest that psychosocial interventions – particularly CBT and multiple or combined psychotherapeutic modalities – may play an important role in improving immune-related health outcomes.

Such interventions may not only be effective, they may also prove to be affordable alternatives to current therapeutic options. The mean length of a CBT intervention in the meta-analysis was 10.4 weeks, which the investigators equated with a total cost of $1,560 per patient.

“By comparison, the cost of using infliximab to reduce inflammation in persons with an autoimmune disorder is approximately $25,000 per patient per year,” they wrote.

“The results suggest the possibility that psychotherapy may be helpful for reducing inflammation and improving immune-related health in certain circumstances,” Dr. Slavich concluded. “However, the studies that we examined differed in terms of their quality, and we did not examine health outcomes in the present investigation.

“Therefore, more research needs to be done to determine how the present findings might be translated into treatment options or public policy.”
 

A path to better health

In an accompanying editorial, Veronika Engert, PhD, Joshua A. Grant, PhD, and Bernhard Strauss, PhD, noted that although infectious disease was once the primary cause of death in society, it has been supplanted by other complex and chronic illnesses, which often do not follow simple cause-and-effect associations.

“Rather,” they wrote, “these illnesses develop from a complex milieu of biological, psychological, and social factors that may also influence the disease progress and its prognosis. Against this backdrop, the meta-analysis by Shields and colleagues is an important confirmation of the biopsychosocial model.”

The editorialists explained that recent psychophysiological, neurobiological, and epigenetic research offers a glimpse into the relationship between psychological and social factors in pathogenesis. Nevertheless, the authors noted that a comprehensive examination of the potential effects of psychosocial interventions on immune parameters in various physical health conditions has been lacking.

“The evidence provided by Shields et al. is exactly what is needed to more fully shift treatment from an illness-centered to a patient-centered approach,” they wrote. “To that end, this meta-analysis may serve as a guide for policy makers aiming to improve immune-associated health.”

The research was supported by a Society in Science–Branco Weiss Fellowship, Brain and Behavior Research, and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Slavich, Dr. Engert, Dr. Grant, and Dr. Strauss have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

On first glance, the age-adjusted rate of suicide for Asian and Pacific Islander populations living in the United States looks comparatively low.

Over the past 2 decades in the United States, for example, the overall rate increased by 35%, from, 10.5 to 14.2 per 100,000 individuals. That compares with a rate of 7.0 per 100,000 among Asian and Pacific Islander communities.¹

However, because of the aggregate nature (national suicide mortality data combine people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander descent into a single group) in which these data are reported, a significant amount of salient information on subgroups of Asian Americans is lost.² There is a growing body of research on the mental health of Asian Americans, but the dearth of information and research on suicide in South Asians is striking.³ In fact, a review of literature finds fewer than 10 articles on the topic that have been published in peer-reviewed journals in the last decade. It is important for mental health professionals to understand the unique cultural characteristics of South Asians living in the United States to provide effective, culturally sensitive care.
 

Diverse group

There are 3.4 million individuals of South Asian descent in the United States. Geographically, South Asians may have familial and cultural/historical roots in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Pakistan.⁴ They enjoy a rich diversity in terms of cultural and religious beliefs, language, socioeconomic status, modes of acculturation, and immigration patterns. Asian Indians are the largest group of South Asians in the United States. They are highly educated, with a larger proportion of them pursuing an undergraduate and/or graduate level education than the general population. The median household income of Asian Indians is also higher than the national average.⁵

In general, suicide, like all mental health issues, is a stigmatized and taboo topic in the South Asian community.⁶ Also, South Asian Americans are hesitant to seek mental health care because of a perceived inability of Western health care professionals to understand their cultural views. Extrapolation from data on South Asians in the United Kingdom, aggregate statistics for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and studies on South Asians in the United States highlight two South Asian subgroups that are particularly vulnerable to suicide. These are young adults (aged 18-24 years) and women.⁷

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for young Asian American men in the United States. Rates of lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts are higher among younger Asian Americans (aged 18-24 years) than among older Asian American adults. Young Asian American adults have been found to have higher levels of suicidal ideation than their white counterparts.^8,9 Acculturation or assimilating into a different culture, familial violence as a child, hopelessness or a thought pattern with a pessimistic outlook, depression, and childhood sexual abuse have all been found to be positively correlated with suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in South Asian Americans. One study that conducted0 in-group analysis on undergraduate university students of South Asian descent living in New York found higher levels of hopelessness and depression in Asian Indians relative to Bangladeshi or Pakistani Americans.¹⁰

In addition, higher levels of suicidal ideation are reported in Asian Indians relative to Bangladeshi or Pakistani Americans. These results resemble findings from similar studies in the United Kingdom. A posited reason for these findings is a difference in religious beliefs. Pakistani and Bangladeshi Americans are predominantly Muslim, have stronger moral beliefs against suicide, and consider it a sin as defined by Islamic beliefs. Asian Indians, in contrast, are majority Hindu and believe in reincarnation – a context that might make suicide seem more permissible.¹¹

South Asian women are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, and/or familial violence. Cultural gender norms, traditional norms, and patriarchal ideology in the South Asian community make quantifying the level of childhood sexual abuse and familial violence a challenge. Furthermore, culturally, South Asian women are often considered subordinate relative to men, and discussion around family violence and childhood sexual abuse is avoided. Studies from the United Kingdom find a lack of knowledge around, disclosure of, and fear of reporting childhood sexual abuse in South Asian women. A study of a sample of representative South Asian American women found that 25.2% had experienced some form of childhood sexual abuse.¹²

Research also suggests that South Asians in the United States have some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence. Another study in the United States found that two out of five South Asian women have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence. This is much higher than the rate found in representative general U.S. population samples.

Literature suggests that exposure to these factors increases womens’ risk for suicidal ideation and attempted suicide. In the United Kingdom, research on South Asian women (aged 18-24 years) has found rates of attempted suicide to be three times higher than those of their white counterparts. Research from the United Kingdom and the United States suggests that younger married South Asian women are exposed to emotional and/or physical abuse from their spouse or in-laws, which is often a mediating factor in their increased risk for suicide.

Attempts to address suicide in the South Asian American community have to be multifaceted. An ideal approach would consist of educating, and connecting with, the community through ethnic media and trusted community sources, such as primary care doctors, caregivers, and social workers. In line with established American Psychological Association guidelines on caring for individuals of immigrant origin, health care professionals should document the patient’s number of generations in the country, number of years in the country, language fluency, family and community support, educational level, social status changes related to immigration, intimate relationships with people of different backgrounds, and stress related to acculturation. Special attention should be paid to South Asian women. Health care professionals should screen South Asian women for past and current intimate partner violence, provide culturally appropriate intimate partner violence resources, and be prepared to refer them to legal counseling services. Also, South Asian women should be screened for a history of exposure to familial violence and childhood sexual abuse.¹

To adequately serve this population, there is a need to build capacity in the provision of culturally appropriate mental health services. Access to mental health care professionals through settings such as shelters for abused women, South Asian community–based organizations, youth centers, college counseling, and senior centers would encourage individuals to seek care without the threat of being stigmatized.
 

References

1. Hedegaard H et al. Suicide mortality in the United States, 1999–2017. NCHS Data Brief, No. 330. 2018 Nov.

2. Ahmad-Stout DJ and Nath SR. J College Stud Psychother. 2013 Jan 10;27(1):43-61.

3. Li H and Keshavan M. Asian J Psychiatry. 2011;4(1):1.

4. Nagaraj NC et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2019 Oct;21(5):978-1003.

5. Nagaraj NC et al. J Comm Health. 2018;43(3):543-51.

6. Cao KO. Generations. 2014;30(4):82-5.

7. Hurwitz EJ et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2006;8(3):251-61.

8. Polanco-Roman L et al. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2019 Dec 23. doi: 10.1037/cpd0000313.

9. Erausquin JT et al. J Youth Adolesc. 2019 Sep;48(9):1796-1805.

10. Lane R et al. Asian Am J Psychol. 2016;7(2):120-8.

11. Nath SR et al. Asian Am J Psychol. 2018;9(4):334-343.

12. Robertson HA et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2016 Jul 31;18(4):921-7.
 

Mr. Kaleka is a medical student in the class of 2021 at Central Michigan University (CMU) College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant. He has no disclosures. Mr. Kaleka would like to thank his mentor, Furhut Janssen, DO, for her continued guidance and support in research on mental health in immigrant populations.

On first glance, the age-adjusted rate of suicide for Asian and Pacific Islander populations living in the United States looks comparatively low.

Over the past 2 decades in the United States, for example, the overall rate increased by 35%, from, 10.5 to 14.2 per 100,000 individuals. That compares with a rate of 7.0 per 100,000 among Asian and Pacific Islander communities.¹

However, because of the aggregate nature (national suicide mortality data combine people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander descent into a single group) in which these data are reported, a significant amount of salient information on subgroups of Asian Americans is lost.² There is a growing body of research on the mental health of Asian Americans, but the dearth of information and research on suicide in South Asians is striking.³ In fact, a review of literature finds fewer than 10 articles on the topic that have been published in peer-reviewed journals in the last decade. It is important for mental health professionals to understand the unique cultural characteristics of South Asians living in the United States to provide effective, culturally sensitive care.
 

Diverse group

There are 3.4 million individuals of South Asian descent in the United States. Geographically, South Asians may have familial and cultural/historical roots in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Pakistan.⁴ They enjoy a rich diversity in terms of cultural and religious beliefs, language, socioeconomic status, modes of acculturation, and immigration patterns. Asian Indians are the largest group of South Asians in the United States. They are highly educated, with a larger proportion of them pursuing an undergraduate and/or graduate level education than the general population. The median household income of Asian Indians is also higher than the national average.⁵

In general, suicide, like all mental health issues, is a stigmatized and taboo topic in the South Asian community.⁶ Also, South Asian Americans are hesitant to seek mental health care because of a perceived inability of Western health care professionals to understand their cultural views. Extrapolation from data on South Asians in the United Kingdom, aggregate statistics for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and studies on South Asians in the United States highlight two South Asian subgroups that are particularly vulnerable to suicide. These are young adults (aged 18-24 years) and women.⁷

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for young Asian American men in the United States. Rates of lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts are higher among younger Asian Americans (aged 18-24 years) than among older Asian American adults. Young Asian American adults have been found to have higher levels of suicidal ideation than their white counterparts.^8,9 Acculturation or assimilating into a different culture, familial violence as a child, hopelessness or a thought pattern with a pessimistic outlook, depression, and childhood sexual abuse have all been found to be positively correlated with suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in South Asian Americans. One study that conducted0 in-group analysis on undergraduate university students of South Asian descent living in New York found higher levels of hopelessness and depression in Asian Indians relative to Bangladeshi or Pakistani Americans.¹⁰

In addition, higher levels of suicidal ideation are reported in Asian Indians relative to Bangladeshi or Pakistani Americans. These results resemble findings from similar studies in the United Kingdom. A posited reason for these findings is a difference in religious beliefs. Pakistani and Bangladeshi Americans are predominantly Muslim, have stronger moral beliefs against suicide, and consider it a sin as defined by Islamic beliefs. Asian Indians, in contrast, are majority Hindu and believe in reincarnation – a context that might make suicide seem more permissible.¹¹

South Asian women are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, and/or familial violence. Cultural gender norms, traditional norms, and patriarchal ideology in the South Asian community make quantifying the level of childhood sexual abuse and familial violence a challenge. Furthermore, culturally, South Asian women are often considered subordinate relative to men, and discussion around family violence and childhood sexual abuse is avoided. Studies from the United Kingdom find a lack of knowledge around, disclosure of, and fear of reporting childhood sexual abuse in South Asian women. A study of a sample of representative South Asian American women found that 25.2% had experienced some form of childhood sexual abuse.¹²

Research also suggests that South Asians in the United States have some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence. Another study in the United States found that two out of five South Asian women have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence. This is much higher than the rate found in representative general U.S. population samples.

Literature suggests that exposure to these factors increases womens’ risk for suicidal ideation and attempted suicide. In the United Kingdom, research on South Asian women (aged 18-24 years) has found rates of attempted suicide to be three times higher than those of their white counterparts. Research from the United Kingdom and the United States suggests that younger married South Asian women are exposed to emotional and/or physical abuse from their spouse or in-laws, which is often a mediating factor in their increased risk for suicide.

Attempts to address suicide in the South Asian American community have to be multifaceted. An ideal approach would consist of educating, and connecting with, the community through ethnic media and trusted community sources, such as primary care doctors, caregivers, and social workers. In line with established American Psychological Association guidelines on caring for individuals of immigrant origin, health care professionals should document the patient’s number of generations in the country, number of years in the country, language fluency, family and community support, educational level, social status changes related to immigration, intimate relationships with people of different backgrounds, and stress related to acculturation. Special attention should be paid to South Asian women. Health care professionals should screen South Asian women for past and current intimate partner violence, provide culturally appropriate intimate partner violence resources, and be prepared to refer them to legal counseling services. Also, South Asian women should be screened for a history of exposure to familial violence and childhood sexual abuse.¹

To adequately serve this population, there is a need to build capacity in the provision of culturally appropriate mental health services. Access to mental health care professionals through settings such as shelters for abused women, South Asian community–based organizations, youth centers, college counseling, and senior centers would encourage individuals to seek care without the threat of being stigmatized.
 

References

1. Hedegaard H et al. Suicide mortality in the United States, 1999–2017. NCHS Data Brief, No. 330. 2018 Nov.

2. Ahmad-Stout DJ and Nath SR. J College Stud Psychother. 2013 Jan 10;27(1):43-61.

3. Li H and Keshavan M. Asian J Psychiatry. 2011;4(1):1.

4. Nagaraj NC et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2019 Oct;21(5):978-1003.

5. Nagaraj NC et al. J Comm Health. 2018;43(3):543-51.

6. Cao KO. Generations. 2014;30(4):82-5.

7. Hurwitz EJ et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2006;8(3):251-61.

8. Polanco-Roman L et al. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2019 Dec 23. doi: 10.1037/cpd0000313.

9. Erausquin JT et al. J Youth Adolesc. 2019 Sep;48(9):1796-1805.

10. Lane R et al. Asian Am J Psychol. 2016;7(2):120-8.

11. Nath SR et al. Asian Am J Psychol. 2018;9(4):334-343.

12. Robertson HA et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2016 Jul 31;18(4):921-7.
 

Mr. Kaleka is a medical student in the class of 2021 at Central Michigan University (CMU) College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant. He has no disclosures. Mr. Kaleka would like to thank his mentor, Furhut Janssen, DO, for her continued guidance and support in research on mental health in immigrant populations.

On first glance, the age-adjusted rate of suicide for Asian and Pacific Islander populations living in the United States looks comparatively low.

Over the past 2 decades in the United States, for example, the overall rate increased by 35%, from, 10.5 to 14.2 per 100,000 individuals. That compares with a rate of 7.0 per 100,000 among Asian and Pacific Islander communities.¹

However, because of the aggregate nature (national suicide mortality data combine people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and other Pacific Islander descent into a single group) in which these data are reported, a significant amount of salient information on subgroups of Asian Americans is lost.² There is a growing body of research on the mental health of Asian Americans, but the dearth of information and research on suicide in South Asians is striking.³ In fact, a review of literature finds fewer than 10 articles on the topic that have been published in peer-reviewed journals in the last decade. It is important for mental health professionals to understand the unique cultural characteristics of South Asians living in the United States to provide effective, culturally sensitive care.
 

Diverse group

There are 3.4 million individuals of South Asian descent in the United States. Geographically, South Asians may have familial and cultural/historical roots in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Pakistan.⁴ They enjoy a rich diversity in terms of cultural and religious beliefs, language, socioeconomic status, modes of acculturation, and immigration patterns. Asian Indians are the largest group of South Asians in the United States. They are highly educated, with a larger proportion of them pursuing an undergraduate and/or graduate level education than the general population. The median household income of Asian Indians is also higher than the national average.⁵

In general, suicide, like all mental health issues, is a stigmatized and taboo topic in the South Asian community.⁶ Also, South Asian Americans are hesitant to seek mental health care because of a perceived inability of Western health care professionals to understand their cultural views. Extrapolation from data on South Asians in the United Kingdom, aggregate statistics for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and studies on South Asians in the United States highlight two South Asian subgroups that are particularly vulnerable to suicide. These are young adults (aged 18-24 years) and women.⁷

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for young Asian American men in the United States. Rates of lifetime suicidal ideation and attempts are higher among younger Asian Americans (aged 18-24 years) than among older Asian American adults. Young Asian American adults have been found to have higher levels of suicidal ideation than their white counterparts.^8,9 Acculturation or assimilating into a different culture, familial violence as a child, hopelessness or a thought pattern with a pessimistic outlook, depression, and childhood sexual abuse have all been found to be positively correlated with suicidal ideation and attempted suicide in South Asian Americans. One study that conducted0 in-group analysis on undergraduate university students of South Asian descent living in New York found higher levels of hopelessness and depression in Asian Indians relative to Bangladeshi or Pakistani Americans.¹⁰

In addition, higher levels of suicidal ideation are reported in Asian Indians relative to Bangladeshi or Pakistani Americans. These results resemble findings from similar studies in the United Kingdom. A posited reason for these findings is a difference in religious beliefs. Pakistani and Bangladeshi Americans are predominantly Muslim, have stronger moral beliefs against suicide, and consider it a sin as defined by Islamic beliefs. Asian Indians, in contrast, are majority Hindu and believe in reincarnation – a context that might make suicide seem more permissible.¹¹

South Asian women are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, and/or familial violence. Cultural gender norms, traditional norms, and patriarchal ideology in the South Asian community make quantifying the level of childhood sexual abuse and familial violence a challenge. Furthermore, culturally, South Asian women are often considered subordinate relative to men, and discussion around family violence and childhood sexual abuse is avoided. Studies from the United Kingdom find a lack of knowledge around, disclosure of, and fear of reporting childhood sexual abuse in South Asian women. A study of a sample of representative South Asian American women found that 25.2% had experienced some form of childhood sexual abuse.¹²

Research also suggests that South Asians in the United States have some of the highest rates of intimate partner violence. Another study in the United States found that two out of five South Asian women have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence. This is much higher than the rate found in representative general U.S. population samples.

Literature suggests that exposure to these factors increases womens’ risk for suicidal ideation and attempted suicide. In the United Kingdom, research on South Asian women (aged 18-24 years) has found rates of attempted suicide to be three times higher than those of their white counterparts. Research from the United Kingdom and the United States suggests that younger married South Asian women are exposed to emotional and/or physical abuse from their spouse or in-laws, which is often a mediating factor in their increased risk for suicide.

Attempts to address suicide in the South Asian American community have to be multifaceted. An ideal approach would consist of educating, and connecting with, the community through ethnic media and trusted community sources, such as primary care doctors, caregivers, and social workers. In line with established American Psychological Association guidelines on caring for individuals of immigrant origin, health care professionals should document the patient’s number of generations in the country, number of years in the country, language fluency, family and community support, educational level, social status changes related to immigration, intimate relationships with people of different backgrounds, and stress related to acculturation. Special attention should be paid to South Asian women. Health care professionals should screen South Asian women for past and current intimate partner violence, provide culturally appropriate intimate partner violence resources, and be prepared to refer them to legal counseling services. Also, South Asian women should be screened for a history of exposure to familial violence and childhood sexual abuse.¹

To adequately serve this population, there is a need to build capacity in the provision of culturally appropriate mental health services. Access to mental health care professionals through settings such as shelters for abused women, South Asian community–based organizations, youth centers, college counseling, and senior centers would encourage individuals to seek care without the threat of being stigmatized.
 

References

1. Hedegaard H et al. Suicide mortality in the United States, 1999–2017. NCHS Data Brief, No. 330. 2018 Nov.

2. Ahmad-Stout DJ and Nath SR. J College Stud Psychother. 2013 Jan 10;27(1):43-61.

3. Li H and Keshavan M. Asian J Psychiatry. 2011;4(1):1.

4. Nagaraj NC et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2019 Oct;21(5):978-1003.

5. Nagaraj NC et al. J Comm Health. 2018;43(3):543-51.

6. Cao KO. Generations. 2014;30(4):82-5.

7. Hurwitz EJ et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2006;8(3):251-61.

8. Polanco-Roman L et al. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2019 Dec 23. doi: 10.1037/cpd0000313.

9. Erausquin JT et al. J Youth Adolesc. 2019 Sep;48(9):1796-1805.

10. Lane R et al. Asian Am J Psychol. 2016;7(2):120-8.

11. Nath SR et al. Asian Am J Psychol. 2018;9(4):334-343.

12. Robertson HA et al. J Immigr Minor Health. 2016 Jul 31;18(4):921-7.
 

Mr. Kaleka is a medical student in the class of 2021 at Central Michigan University (CMU) College of Medicine, Mt. Pleasant. He has no disclosures. Mr. Kaleka would like to thank his mentor, Furhut Janssen, DO, for her continued guidance and support in research on mental health in immigrant populations.

Irritability in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and stimulant use disorder (SUD) is strongly linked to suicidality and should be assessed by clinicians.

Three clinical trials of adults with MDD and one trial of adults with SUD showed that the link between irritability and suicidality was stronger than the association between depression severity and suicidal behaviors.

“Irritability is an important construct that is not often studied in adults with major depressive disorder,” Manish K. Jha, MD, of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, said in an interview.

“If you look at current diagnostic convention, irritability is not considered a symptom of major depressive episodes in adults, but below age 18, it is considered one of the two main symptoms,” Dr. Jha said.

The findings were presented at the virtual American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2020 annual Meeting.
 

Clinically useful

Irritability is assessed using age-related norms of behavior, Dr. Jha said.

“The best way to conceptualize it is that it is the propensity to get angry easily or more frequently as compared to peers in response to frustration. I have a 2½-year old, and if he throws a tantrum, that is perfectly age appropriate. But if I do the same thing, it would be extreme irritability. The pediatric literature uses the word ‘grouchiness,’ but it is a little bit difficult to define, in part because it hasn’t been studied extensively,” he said.

To better understand the potential association between irritability and suicidality, the investigators reviewed results of three trials involving adults with MDD. These trials were CO-MED (Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes), which included 665 patients; EMBARC (Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response in Clinical Care), which included 296 patients; and SAMS (Suicide Assessment Methodology Study), which included 266 patients.

They also examined the STRIDE (Stimulant Reduction Intervention Using Dosed Exercise) study, which was conducted in 302 adults with SUD.

All studies assessed irritability using the Concise Associated Symptom Tracking scale, a 5-point Likert scale. The trials also assessed suicidality with the Concise Health Risk Tracking Suicidal Thoughts.

The investigators found that irritability and suicidality were positively correlated. The association between irritability and suicidality was 2-11 times stronger than the link to overall depression.

Higher irritability at baseline predicted higher levels of suicidality at week 9 in CO-MED (P = .011), EMBARC (P < .0001), and STRIDE (P = .007), but not in SAMS (P = .21).

Greater reduction in irritability from baseline to week 4 predicted lower levels of suicidality at week 8 in CO-MED (P = .007), EMBARC (P < .0001), and STRIDE (P < .0001), but not in SAMS (P = .065).

Similarly, lower baseline levels and greater reductions in irritability were associated with lower levels of suicidality at week 28 of CO-MED, week 16 of EMBARC, and week 36 of STRIDE.

Dr. Jha speculated that by treating irritability, it may be possible to lower rates of subsequent suicidal ideation, and he believes that measuring irritability in MDD “has clinical utility.”
 

A common and disabling symptom

Commenting on the study, Sanjay J. Mathew, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, said the findings provide further support that irritability is a relatively common and disabling symptom associated with major depression.

“The presence of significant irritability was associated with higher levels of suicidal ideation and is therefore highly relevant for clinicians to assess,” said Dr. Mathew, who was not part of the study.

“Early improvements in irritability are associated with better longer-term outcomes with antidepressant treatments, and this highlights the need for careful clinical evaluation early on in the course of antidepressant therapy, ideally within the first 2 weeks,” he said.

Dr. Jha reports financial relationships with Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Research & Development. Dr. Mathew reports financial relationships with Allergan, Vistagen, Janssen, Clexio, and Biohaven.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

Irritability in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and stimulant use disorder (SUD) is strongly linked to suicidality and should be assessed by clinicians.

Three clinical trials of adults with MDD and one trial of adults with SUD showed that the link between irritability and suicidality was stronger than the association between depression severity and suicidal behaviors.

“Irritability is an important construct that is not often studied in adults with major depressive disorder,” Manish K. Jha, MD, of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, said in an interview.

“If you look at current diagnostic convention, irritability is not considered a symptom of major depressive episodes in adults, but below age 18, it is considered one of the two main symptoms,” Dr. Jha said.

The findings were presented at the virtual American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2020 annual Meeting.
 

Clinically useful

Irritability is assessed using age-related norms of behavior, Dr. Jha said.

“The best way to conceptualize it is that it is the propensity to get angry easily or more frequently as compared to peers in response to frustration. I have a 2½-year old, and if he throws a tantrum, that is perfectly age appropriate. But if I do the same thing, it would be extreme irritability. The pediatric literature uses the word ‘grouchiness,’ but it is a little bit difficult to define, in part because it hasn’t been studied extensively,” he said.

To better understand the potential association between irritability and suicidality, the investigators reviewed results of three trials involving adults with MDD. These trials were CO-MED (Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes), which included 665 patients; EMBARC (Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response in Clinical Care), which included 296 patients; and SAMS (Suicide Assessment Methodology Study), which included 266 patients.

They also examined the STRIDE (Stimulant Reduction Intervention Using Dosed Exercise) study, which was conducted in 302 adults with SUD.

All studies assessed irritability using the Concise Associated Symptom Tracking scale, a 5-point Likert scale. The trials also assessed suicidality with the Concise Health Risk Tracking Suicidal Thoughts.

The investigators found that irritability and suicidality were positively correlated. The association between irritability and suicidality was 2-11 times stronger than the link to overall depression.

Higher irritability at baseline predicted higher levels of suicidality at week 9 in CO-MED (P = .011), EMBARC (P < .0001), and STRIDE (P = .007), but not in SAMS (P = .21).

Greater reduction in irritability from baseline to week 4 predicted lower levels of suicidality at week 8 in CO-MED (P = .007), EMBARC (P < .0001), and STRIDE (P < .0001), but not in SAMS (P = .065).

Similarly, lower baseline levels and greater reductions in irritability were associated with lower levels of suicidality at week 28 of CO-MED, week 16 of EMBARC, and week 36 of STRIDE.

Dr. Jha speculated that by treating irritability, it may be possible to lower rates of subsequent suicidal ideation, and he believes that measuring irritability in MDD “has clinical utility.”
 

A common and disabling symptom

Commenting on the study, Sanjay J. Mathew, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, said the findings provide further support that irritability is a relatively common and disabling symptom associated with major depression.

“The presence of significant irritability was associated with higher levels of suicidal ideation and is therefore highly relevant for clinicians to assess,” said Dr. Mathew, who was not part of the study.

“Early improvements in irritability are associated with better longer-term outcomes with antidepressant treatments, and this highlights the need for careful clinical evaluation early on in the course of antidepressant therapy, ideally within the first 2 weeks,” he said.

Dr. Jha reports financial relationships with Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Research & Development. Dr. Mathew reports financial relationships with Allergan, Vistagen, Janssen, Clexio, and Biohaven.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

Irritability in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and stimulant use disorder (SUD) is strongly linked to suicidality and should be assessed by clinicians.

Three clinical trials of adults with MDD and one trial of adults with SUD showed that the link between irritability and suicidality was stronger than the association between depression severity and suicidal behaviors.

“Irritability is an important construct that is not often studied in adults with major depressive disorder,” Manish K. Jha, MD, of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, said in an interview.

“If you look at current diagnostic convention, irritability is not considered a symptom of major depressive episodes in adults, but below age 18, it is considered one of the two main symptoms,” Dr. Jha said.

The findings were presented at the virtual American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology 2020 annual Meeting.
 

Clinically useful

Irritability is assessed using age-related norms of behavior, Dr. Jha said.

“The best way to conceptualize it is that it is the propensity to get angry easily or more frequently as compared to peers in response to frustration. I have a 2½-year old, and if he throws a tantrum, that is perfectly age appropriate. But if I do the same thing, it would be extreme irritability. The pediatric literature uses the word ‘grouchiness,’ but it is a little bit difficult to define, in part because it hasn’t been studied extensively,” he said.

To better understand the potential association between irritability and suicidality, the investigators reviewed results of three trials involving adults with MDD. These trials were CO-MED (Combining Medications to Enhance Depression Outcomes), which included 665 patients; EMBARC (Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response in Clinical Care), which included 296 patients; and SAMS (Suicide Assessment Methodology Study), which included 266 patients.

They also examined the STRIDE (Stimulant Reduction Intervention Using Dosed Exercise) study, which was conducted in 302 adults with SUD.

All studies assessed irritability using the Concise Associated Symptom Tracking scale, a 5-point Likert scale. The trials also assessed suicidality with the Concise Health Risk Tracking Suicidal Thoughts.

The investigators found that irritability and suicidality were positively correlated. The association between irritability and suicidality was 2-11 times stronger than the link to overall depression.

Higher irritability at baseline predicted higher levels of suicidality at week 9 in CO-MED (P = .011), EMBARC (P < .0001), and STRIDE (P = .007), but not in SAMS (P = .21).

Greater reduction in irritability from baseline to week 4 predicted lower levels of suicidality at week 8 in CO-MED (P = .007), EMBARC (P < .0001), and STRIDE (P < .0001), but not in SAMS (P = .065).

Similarly, lower baseline levels and greater reductions in irritability were associated with lower levels of suicidality at week 28 of CO-MED, week 16 of EMBARC, and week 36 of STRIDE.

Dr. Jha speculated that by treating irritability, it may be possible to lower rates of subsequent suicidal ideation, and he believes that measuring irritability in MDD “has clinical utility.”
 

A common and disabling symptom

Commenting on the study, Sanjay J. Mathew, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, said the findings provide further support that irritability is a relatively common and disabling symptom associated with major depression.

“The presence of significant irritability was associated with higher levels of suicidal ideation and is therefore highly relevant for clinicians to assess,” said Dr. Mathew, who was not part of the study.

“Early improvements in irritability are associated with better longer-term outcomes with antidepressant treatments, and this highlights the need for careful clinical evaluation early on in the course of antidepressant therapy, ideally within the first 2 weeks,” he said.

Dr. Jha reports financial relationships with Acadia Pharmaceuticals and Janssen Research & Development. Dr. Mathew reports financial relationships with Allergan, Vistagen, Janssen, Clexio, and Biohaven.
 

A version of this article originally appeared on Medscape.com.

I am writing this commentary to bring to readers’ attention a medical and ethical complexity related to human sitters for presumably suicidal, COVID-19–positive hospitalized patients.

To shape and bundle the ethics issues addressed here into a single question, I offer the following: Should policies and practices requiring that patients in presumed need of a sitter because of assessed suicidality change when the patient is COVID-19–positive? Although the analysis might be similar when a sitter is monitoring a Patient Under Investigation (PUI), here I focus only on COVID-19–positive patients. Similarly, there are other reasons for sitters, of course, such as to prevent elopement, or, if a patient is in restraints, to prevent the patient from pulling out lines or tubes. Again, discussion of some of these ethical complications is beyond the scope of this piece. Just considering the matter of potential suicidality and sitters is complex enough. And so, to start, I sought out existing sources for guidance.

In looking for such sources, I first turned to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before COVID-19. CMS has required that there be a sitter for a patient who is suicidal and that the sitter remain in the room so that the sitter can intervene expeditiously if the patient tries to hurt himself or herself. There has been no change in this guidance since the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. To the best of my knowledge, there is no substantive guidance for protecting sitters from contagion other than PPE. Given this, it begs the question: Shouldn’t the CMS guidance be changed to allow for hospitals to study different approaches to contagion reduction for sitters?

In my hospital, I already have begun discussing the potential risks of harm and potential benefits to our suicidal patients of having a sitter directly outside the patient’s room. I also have considered whether to have one sitter watching several room cameras at once, commonly referred to as “telehealth strategies.”

To be sure, sitting for hours in the room of a COVID-19–positive patient is onerous. The sitter is required to be in full PPE (N-95 mask, gown, and gloves), which is hot and uncomfortable. Current practice is resource intensive in other ways. It requires changing out the sitter every 2 hours, which uses substantial amounts of PPE and multiple sitters.

Regardless, however, there are really no data upon which to base any sound ethics judgment about what should or should not be tried. We just have no information on how to attempt to balance potential risks and prospects for the benefit of whom and when. And, given that good clinical ethics always begin with the facts, I write this piece to see whether readers have thought about these issues before – and whether any of clinicians have started collecting the valuable data needed to begin making sound ethical judgments about how to care for our presumably suicidal COVID-19–positive patients and the sitters who watch over them.
 

Dr. Ritchie is chair of psychiatry at Medstar Washington Hospital Center and professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University, Washington. She has no disclosures and can be reached at [email protected].

This column is an outcome of a discussion that occurred during Psych/Ethics rounds on June 5, and does not represent any official statements of Medstar Washington Hospital Center or any entity of the MedStar Corp. Dr. Ritchie would like to thank Evan G. DeRenzo, PhD, of the John J. Lynch Center for Ethics, for her thoughtful review of a previous draft of this commentary.

I am writing this commentary to bring to readers’ attention a medical and ethical complexity related to human sitters for presumably suicidal, COVID-19–positive hospitalized patients.

To shape and bundle the ethics issues addressed here into a single question, I offer the following: Should policies and practices requiring that patients in presumed need of a sitter because of assessed suicidality change when the patient is COVID-19–positive? Although the analysis might be similar when a sitter is monitoring a Patient Under Investigation (PUI), here I focus only on COVID-19–positive patients. Similarly, there are other reasons for sitters, of course, such as to prevent elopement, or, if a patient is in restraints, to prevent the patient from pulling out lines or tubes. Again, discussion of some of these ethical complications is beyond the scope of this piece. Just considering the matter of potential suicidality and sitters is complex enough. And so, to start, I sought out existing sources for guidance.

In looking for such sources, I first turned to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before COVID-19. CMS has required that there be a sitter for a patient who is suicidal and that the sitter remain in the room so that the sitter can intervene expeditiously if the patient tries to hurt himself or herself. There has been no change in this guidance since the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. To the best of my knowledge, there is no substantive guidance for protecting sitters from contagion other than PPE. Given this, it begs the question: Shouldn’t the CMS guidance be changed to allow for hospitals to study different approaches to contagion reduction for sitters?

In my hospital, I already have begun discussing the potential risks of harm and potential benefits to our suicidal patients of having a sitter directly outside the patient’s room. I also have considered whether to have one sitter watching several room cameras at once, commonly referred to as “telehealth strategies.”

To be sure, sitting for hours in the room of a COVID-19–positive patient is onerous. The sitter is required to be in full PPE (N-95 mask, gown, and gloves), which is hot and uncomfortable. Current practice is resource intensive in other ways. It requires changing out the sitter every 2 hours, which uses substantial amounts of PPE and multiple sitters.

Regardless, however, there are really no data upon which to base any sound ethics judgment about what should or should not be tried. We just have no information on how to attempt to balance potential risks and prospects for the benefit of whom and when. And, given that good clinical ethics always begin with the facts, I write this piece to see whether readers have thought about these issues before – and whether any of clinicians have started collecting the valuable data needed to begin making sound ethical judgments about how to care for our presumably suicidal COVID-19–positive patients and the sitters who watch over them.
 

Dr. Ritchie is chair of psychiatry at Medstar Washington Hospital Center and professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University, Washington. She has no disclosures and can be reached at [email protected].

This column is an outcome of a discussion that occurred during Psych/Ethics rounds on June 5, and does not represent any official statements of Medstar Washington Hospital Center or any entity of the MedStar Corp. Dr. Ritchie would like to thank Evan G. DeRenzo, PhD, of the John J. Lynch Center for Ethics, for her thoughtful review of a previous draft of this commentary.

I am writing this commentary to bring to readers’ attention a medical and ethical complexity related to human sitters for presumably suicidal, COVID-19–positive hospitalized patients.

To shape and bundle the ethics issues addressed here into a single question, I offer the following: Should policies and practices requiring that patients in presumed need of a sitter because of assessed suicidality change when the patient is COVID-19–positive? Although the analysis might be similar when a sitter is monitoring a Patient Under Investigation (PUI), here I focus only on COVID-19–positive patients. Similarly, there are other reasons for sitters, of course, such as to prevent elopement, or, if a patient is in restraints, to prevent the patient from pulling out lines or tubes. Again, discussion of some of these ethical complications is beyond the scope of this piece. Just considering the matter of potential suicidality and sitters is complex enough. And so, to start, I sought out existing sources for guidance.

In looking for such sources, I first turned to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before COVID-19. CMS has required that there be a sitter for a patient who is suicidal and that the sitter remain in the room so that the sitter can intervene expeditiously if the patient tries to hurt himself or herself. There has been no change in this guidance since the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. To the best of my knowledge, there is no substantive guidance for protecting sitters from contagion other than PPE. Given this, it begs the question: Shouldn’t the CMS guidance be changed to allow for hospitals to study different approaches to contagion reduction for sitters?

In my hospital, I already have begun discussing the potential risks of harm and potential benefits to our suicidal patients of having a sitter directly outside the patient’s room. I also have considered whether to have one sitter watching several room cameras at once, commonly referred to as “telehealth strategies.”

To be sure, sitting for hours in the room of a COVID-19–positive patient is onerous. The sitter is required to be in full PPE (N-95 mask, gown, and gloves), which is hot and uncomfortable. Current practice is resource intensive in other ways. It requires changing out the sitter every 2 hours, which uses substantial amounts of PPE and multiple sitters.

Regardless, however, there are really no data upon which to base any sound ethics judgment about what should or should not be tried. We just have no information on how to attempt to balance potential risks and prospects for the benefit of whom and when. And, given that good clinical ethics always begin with the facts, I write this piece to see whether readers have thought about these issues before – and whether any of clinicians have started collecting the valuable data needed to begin making sound ethical judgments about how to care for our presumably suicidal COVID-19–positive patients and the sitters who watch over them.
 

Dr. Ritchie is chair of psychiatry at Medstar Washington Hospital Center and professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University, Washington. She has no disclosures and can be reached at [email protected].

This column is an outcome of a discussion that occurred during Psych/Ethics rounds on June 5, and does not represent any official statements of Medstar Washington Hospital Center or any entity of the MedStar Corp. Dr. Ritchie would like to thank Evan G. DeRenzo, PhD, of the John J. Lynch Center for Ethics, for her thoughtful review of a previous draft of this commentary.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an emerging therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for mental health indications but not widely available in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). rTMS uses a device to create magnetic fields that cause electrical current to flow into targeted neurons in the brain.¹ The area of the brain targeted depends on the shape of the magnetic coil and dose of stimulation (Figures 1 and 2). The most common coil shape is the figure-8 coil, which is believed to stimulate about a 2- to 3-cm² area of the brain at a depth of about 2 cm from the coil surface. The stimulus is thought to activate certain nerve growth factors and ultimately relevant neurotransmitters in the stimulated areas and parts of the brain connected to where the stimulus occurs.²

The most common clinical use of rTMS is for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The FDA has approved rTMS for the treatment of MDD and for at least 4 device manufacturers. The treatment has been studied in multiple clinical trials.³ An overview of these trials, additional rTMS training and educational materials, and device information can be accessed at www.mirecc.va.gov/visn21/education/tms_education.asp. rTMS for MDD administers a personalized dose with stimulation delivered over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. A typical clinical course runs for 40 minutes a day for 20 to 30 sessions. In addition to studies of depression,^1,4-7 rTMS has been studied for the following diseases and conditions:

• Headache (especially migraine)⁸
• Alzheimer disease⁹
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)¹⁰
• Obesity¹¹
• Schizophrenia¹²
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)¹³
• Alcohol and nicotine dependence¹⁴

The FDA also has approved the use of rTMS for OCD. In addition, some health care providers (HCPs) are treating depression with rTMS in conjunction with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Treatment for Veterans

MDD is one of the most significant risk factors for suicide. Therefore, treating depression with rTMS would likely diminish suicide risk. The annual suicide rate among veterans has been higher than the national average.¹⁵ However, most of these veterans are not getting their care at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Major efforts at the VA have been made to address this problem, including modification and promotion of the Veterans Crisis Line, increased mental health clinic hours, mental health same-day appointment availability for veterans, as well as raising awareness of suicide and suicidal ideation.¹⁶ George and colleagues showed that it is safe and feasible to treat acutely suicidal inpatients at a VA or US Department of Defense hospital over an intensive 3 day, 3 treatments per day regimen. This regimen would be potentially useful in a suicidal inpatient population, a technically and ethically difficult group to study.¹⁷

MDD in many patients can be chronic and reoccurring with medication and psychotherapy providing inadequate relief.¹⁷ There clearly is a need for additional treatment options. MDD and OCD are the only indications that have received FDA approval for rTMS use. The initial FDA approval for MDD was based on a 2007 study of medication-free patients who had failed previous therapy and found a significant effect of rTMS compared with a sham procedure.⁷ MDD remains a common problem among veterans who have failed one or more antidepressant medications. Such patients might benefit from rTMS.^6,18

rTMS has several advantages over ECT, another significant FDA-approved, nonpharmacologic treatment alternative for medication-refractory MDD. rTMS is less invasive, requires fewer resources, does not require anesthesia or restrict activities, and does not cause memory loss. After an rTMS treatment, the patient can drive home.

Nationwide Pilot Program

The VA pilot program was created to supply rTMS machines nationwide to VHA sites and to offer a framework for establishing a clinical program. Preliminary program evaluation data suggest patients experienced a reduction in depression and suicidal ideation.

There were many challenges to implementation; for example, one VA site was eager to start using the device but could not secure space or personnel. An interdisciplinary team consisting of physicians, nurses, psychologists, suicide prevention coordinators, and others in the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Precision Neurostimulation Clinic (PNC) has been instrumental in overcoming these challenges. VAPAHCS oversees the pilot and employs the national director.

Thirty-five sites nationwide were initially selected due to their ability to provide space for a rTMS machine and appropriate staffing to set up and run a Clinic (Figure 3). The pilot started with tertiary care VA medical centers then expanded to include community-based outpatient clinics as resources permitted. Sites that were unable to meet these standards were not included. Of these 35 original sites, 26 are treating patients and collecting data. Some early delays were due to unassigned relative value units (RVUs) to rTMS, which since have been revised as imputed RVU values. The American Medical Association established and defined RVUs to compare the value of different health care roles.¹⁹ The clinics have been established with smooth operations as the pilot program has provided the infrastructure.

REDCap (www.project-redcap.org), a data collection tool used primarily in academic research settings, was selected to gather program evaluation data through patient questionnaires informed by the VHA measurement-based care initiative. Standard psychometrics were readily available in the VHA application and REDCap Mental Health Assistant includes the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) Brief Symptom Inventory 18, Posttraumatic Checklist 5, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, and Quality of Life Inventory. The Timberlawn Couple and Family Evaluation Scale (TCFES), which can be completed in 30 to 35 minutes and is a measure of overall function of relevant relationships, also may be added. Future studies are needed to confirm psychometrics of this scale in this setting, but the TCFES metric is widely used for similar purposes.

Nationwide, more than 950 patients have started treatment (ie, including active, completed, and discontinued treatment) and 412 veterans have completed the rTMS treatment. The goal of the program evaluation is to examine large scale rTMS efficacy in a large veteran population as well as determine predictors of individual patient response. Nationwide, PHQ-9 depression scores declined from a pretreatment average (SD) of 18.2 (5.5; range, 5-27) to a posttreatment average (SD) of 11.0 (7.1; range, 0-27). Patients also have indicated a high level of satisfaction with the treatment (Figure 4). Collecting data on a national level is a powerful way to examine rTMS efficacy and predictors of response that might be lost in a smaller subset of cases.

Implementation

It took 11 months for the VA contracting department to determine which machine to buy. However, the lengthy process assured that the equipment selected met all standards for clinical safety and efficacy. Furthermore, provision was made to allow for additional orders as new sites came online as well as upgrading the equipment for advances in technology.

The PNC set up several training programs to ensure proper use of this novel treatment. The education is ongoing and available as new sites are identified and initiated. The education includes, but is not limited to, in-person onsite and offsite training programs, online training modules that are available in the VA Electronic Educational Services (EES), and video telehealth consultations. Participants can view online lectures and then receive hands-on training as part of the educational program. Up to 3 HCPs for each site can receive funding to attend. Online programs also are available for new material to support continuing medical education. However, hands-on training is essential to understand how to obtain the motor threshold, which is used to determine the strength of the rTMS stimulus dose. Furthermore, hands-on training is essential for the proper localization of the stimulus, which is determined by certain anatomical landmarks. A phantom mannequin (ERIK [Evaluating Resting motor threshold and Insuring Kappa]) has been developed to assist in the hands-on learning.²⁰

Relative Value Units

The VHA uses RVUs to properly account for workload and clinician activities. As a result, RVUs play an essential role as a currency that denotes the relative value of one type of clinical activity when compared with other activities. Depending on the treating specialty, clinicians generally use procedure codes outlined in the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set or the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) for medical billing. Most insurance carriers use RVUs set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) system as a standard system to determine HCP reimbursement for medical procedures.

The CPT codes associated with rTMS currently are 90867 to 90869. CMS had initially assigned a zero RVU to these CPT codes due to wide variations in the cost of performing rTMS. When we began implementing rTMS in the VHA, the lack of RVUs for rTMS rendered it impossible to show clinical workload for this activity using established VHA clinical accounting methods. The lack of RVUs assigned to rTMS CPT codes made justification for this treatment to clinical management difficult, which limited its clinical use in the VHA. In addition, HCPs who were using rTMS to treat severely ill veterans appeared artificially unproductive despite a significant patient workload. As we and VHA leadership became aware the program could not be staffed locally without getting workload credit for work done, the value was raised to 1.37 for treatment (90868) and 2.12 and 1.93 for evaluations (90867) and reevaluations (90869), respectively, thus reducing a potential roadblock to implementation.

Challenges as the Program Expands

Future challenges include upgrading machines to do intermittent θ burst stimulation (iTBS), which decreases the standard treatment time from 37.5 minutes to 3 minutes. Both patients and HCPs find iTBS to have similar tolerability to standard rTMS but in much less time. iTBS mimics endogenous θ rhythms and has been shown to be noninferior to rTMS for depression.^21,22 Several devices have received FDA approval to treat MDD, including the Magstim and MagVenture TMS devices used in this program.

A major challenge for the VHA with rTMS will be to maintain a consistent level of competence and training. There is a need for continued maintenance of staff competence with ongoing training and training for new staff. Novel ways of training operators have been developed including ERIK.

Determining treatment interaction with other psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies is another challenge. Currently, rTMS is considered an adjunctive treatment added to the current patient treatment plan. We do not know yet how best to incorporate this somatic treatment with other approaches, and further research is necessary. A key issue is to determine which approach provides the best long-term results for a patient at risk for recurrence of depression. In addition, more research into maintaining healthy relationships for veterans with both MDD and PTSD is needed.

Many misconceptions exist about rTMS and HCPs need to be educated about the benefits of this modality. In addition, patients should understand the differences between rTMS and ECT. Even with newer approaches that streamline rTMS, the therapy remains costly in terms of direct costs as well as patient and HCP time.

Streamlining rTMS treatment remains an important concern. Compressing treatment schedules (ie, many treatments delivered to a patient in a single day) would allow the entire process to be delivered in days, not weeks. This would be especially advantageous to patients who live far from a treatment site. Performing multiple rTMS daily treatments is especially feasible with iTBS with its short treatment time.

Conclusions

rTMS is an emerging modality with both established and novel applications. The best studied application is treatment resistant MDD. Currently, rTMS has only been approved by the FDA for treatment of MDD. A pilot program was established by the VHA to distribute 30 rTMS machines sites nationwide. Results from data collected by these sites have shown patients improving on standard psychometric scales. Future changes include upgrading the machines to provide θ bursts, which has been shown to be faster and noninferior. Integrating rTMS with other pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies remains poorly understood and needs more research.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an emerging therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for mental health indications but not widely available in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). rTMS uses a device to create magnetic fields that cause electrical current to flow into targeted neurons in the brain.¹ The area of the brain targeted depends on the shape of the magnetic coil and dose of stimulation (Figures 1 and 2). The most common coil shape is the figure-8 coil, which is believed to stimulate about a 2- to 3-cm² area of the brain at a depth of about 2 cm from the coil surface. The stimulus is thought to activate certain nerve growth factors and ultimately relevant neurotransmitters in the stimulated areas and parts of the brain connected to where the stimulus occurs.²

The most common clinical use of rTMS is for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The FDA has approved rTMS for the treatment of MDD and for at least 4 device manufacturers. The treatment has been studied in multiple clinical trials.³ An overview of these trials, additional rTMS training and educational materials, and device information can be accessed at www.mirecc.va.gov/visn21/education/tms_education.asp. rTMS for MDD administers a personalized dose with stimulation delivered over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. A typical clinical course runs for 40 minutes a day for 20 to 30 sessions. In addition to studies of depression,^1,4-7 rTMS has been studied for the following diseases and conditions:

• Headache (especially migraine)⁸
• Alzheimer disease⁹
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)¹⁰
• Obesity¹¹
• Schizophrenia¹²
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)¹³
• Alcohol and nicotine dependence¹⁴

The FDA also has approved the use of rTMS for OCD. In addition, some health care providers (HCPs) are treating depression with rTMS in conjunction with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Treatment for Veterans

MDD is one of the most significant risk factors for suicide. Therefore, treating depression with rTMS would likely diminish suicide risk. The annual suicide rate among veterans has been higher than the national average.¹⁵ However, most of these veterans are not getting their care at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Major efforts at the VA have been made to address this problem, including modification and promotion of the Veterans Crisis Line, increased mental health clinic hours, mental health same-day appointment availability for veterans, as well as raising awareness of suicide and suicidal ideation.¹⁶ George and colleagues showed that it is safe and feasible to treat acutely suicidal inpatients at a VA or US Department of Defense hospital over an intensive 3 day, 3 treatments per day regimen. This regimen would be potentially useful in a suicidal inpatient population, a technically and ethically difficult group to study.¹⁷

MDD in many patients can be chronic and reoccurring with medication and psychotherapy providing inadequate relief.¹⁷ There clearly is a need for additional treatment options. MDD and OCD are the only indications that have received FDA approval for rTMS use. The initial FDA approval for MDD was based on a 2007 study of medication-free patients who had failed previous therapy and found a significant effect of rTMS compared with a sham procedure.⁷ MDD remains a common problem among veterans who have failed one or more antidepressant medications. Such patients might benefit from rTMS.^6,18

rTMS has several advantages over ECT, another significant FDA-approved, nonpharmacologic treatment alternative for medication-refractory MDD. rTMS is less invasive, requires fewer resources, does not require anesthesia or restrict activities, and does not cause memory loss. After an rTMS treatment, the patient can drive home.

Nationwide Pilot Program

The VA pilot program was created to supply rTMS machines nationwide to VHA sites and to offer a framework for establishing a clinical program. Preliminary program evaluation data suggest patients experienced a reduction in depression and suicidal ideation.

There were many challenges to implementation; for example, one VA site was eager to start using the device but could not secure space or personnel. An interdisciplinary team consisting of physicians, nurses, psychologists, suicide prevention coordinators, and others in the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Precision Neurostimulation Clinic (PNC) has been instrumental in overcoming these challenges. VAPAHCS oversees the pilot and employs the national director.

Thirty-five sites nationwide were initially selected due to their ability to provide space for a rTMS machine and appropriate staffing to set up and run a Clinic (Figure 3). The pilot started with tertiary care VA medical centers then expanded to include community-based outpatient clinics as resources permitted. Sites that were unable to meet these standards were not included. Of these 35 original sites, 26 are treating patients and collecting data. Some early delays were due to unassigned relative value units (RVUs) to rTMS, which since have been revised as imputed RVU values. The American Medical Association established and defined RVUs to compare the value of different health care roles.¹⁹ The clinics have been established with smooth operations as the pilot program has provided the infrastructure.

REDCap (www.project-redcap.org), a data collection tool used primarily in academic research settings, was selected to gather program evaluation data through patient questionnaires informed by the VHA measurement-based care initiative. Standard psychometrics were readily available in the VHA application and REDCap Mental Health Assistant includes the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) Brief Symptom Inventory 18, Posttraumatic Checklist 5, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, and Quality of Life Inventory. The Timberlawn Couple and Family Evaluation Scale (TCFES), which can be completed in 30 to 35 minutes and is a measure of overall function of relevant relationships, also may be added. Future studies are needed to confirm psychometrics of this scale in this setting, but the TCFES metric is widely used for similar purposes.

Nationwide, more than 950 patients have started treatment (ie, including active, completed, and discontinued treatment) and 412 veterans have completed the rTMS treatment. The goal of the program evaluation is to examine large scale rTMS efficacy in a large veteran population as well as determine predictors of individual patient response. Nationwide, PHQ-9 depression scores declined from a pretreatment average (SD) of 18.2 (5.5; range, 5-27) to a posttreatment average (SD) of 11.0 (7.1; range, 0-27). Patients also have indicated a high level of satisfaction with the treatment (Figure 4). Collecting data on a national level is a powerful way to examine rTMS efficacy and predictors of response that might be lost in a smaller subset of cases.

Implementation

It took 11 months for the VA contracting department to determine which machine to buy. However, the lengthy process assured that the equipment selected met all standards for clinical safety and efficacy. Furthermore, provision was made to allow for additional orders as new sites came online as well as upgrading the equipment for advances in technology.

The PNC set up several training programs to ensure proper use of this novel treatment. The education is ongoing and available as new sites are identified and initiated. The education includes, but is not limited to, in-person onsite and offsite training programs, online training modules that are available in the VA Electronic Educational Services (EES), and video telehealth consultations. Participants can view online lectures and then receive hands-on training as part of the educational program. Up to 3 HCPs for each site can receive funding to attend. Online programs also are available for new material to support continuing medical education. However, hands-on training is essential to understand how to obtain the motor threshold, which is used to determine the strength of the rTMS stimulus dose. Furthermore, hands-on training is essential for the proper localization of the stimulus, which is determined by certain anatomical landmarks. A phantom mannequin (ERIK [Evaluating Resting motor threshold and Insuring Kappa]) has been developed to assist in the hands-on learning.²⁰

Relative Value Units

The VHA uses RVUs to properly account for workload and clinician activities. As a result, RVUs play an essential role as a currency that denotes the relative value of one type of clinical activity when compared with other activities. Depending on the treating specialty, clinicians generally use procedure codes outlined in the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set or the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) for medical billing. Most insurance carriers use RVUs set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) system as a standard system to determine HCP reimbursement for medical procedures.

The CPT codes associated with rTMS currently are 90867 to 90869. CMS had initially assigned a zero RVU to these CPT codes due to wide variations in the cost of performing rTMS. When we began implementing rTMS in the VHA, the lack of RVUs for rTMS rendered it impossible to show clinical workload for this activity using established VHA clinical accounting methods. The lack of RVUs assigned to rTMS CPT codes made justification for this treatment to clinical management difficult, which limited its clinical use in the VHA. In addition, HCPs who were using rTMS to treat severely ill veterans appeared artificially unproductive despite a significant patient workload. As we and VHA leadership became aware the program could not be staffed locally without getting workload credit for work done, the value was raised to 1.37 for treatment (90868) and 2.12 and 1.93 for evaluations (90867) and reevaluations (90869), respectively, thus reducing a potential roadblock to implementation.

Challenges as the Program Expands

Future challenges include upgrading machines to do intermittent θ burst stimulation (iTBS), which decreases the standard treatment time from 37.5 minutes to 3 minutes. Both patients and HCPs find iTBS to have similar tolerability to standard rTMS but in much less time. iTBS mimics endogenous θ rhythms and has been shown to be noninferior to rTMS for depression.^21,22 Several devices have received FDA approval to treat MDD, including the Magstim and MagVenture TMS devices used in this program.

A major challenge for the VHA with rTMS will be to maintain a consistent level of competence and training. There is a need for continued maintenance of staff competence with ongoing training and training for new staff. Novel ways of training operators have been developed including ERIK.

Determining treatment interaction with other psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies is another challenge. Currently, rTMS is considered an adjunctive treatment added to the current patient treatment plan. We do not know yet how best to incorporate this somatic treatment with other approaches, and further research is necessary. A key issue is to determine which approach provides the best long-term results for a patient at risk for recurrence of depression. In addition, more research into maintaining healthy relationships for veterans with both MDD and PTSD is needed.

Many misconceptions exist about rTMS and HCPs need to be educated about the benefits of this modality. In addition, patients should understand the differences between rTMS and ECT. Even with newer approaches that streamline rTMS, the therapy remains costly in terms of direct costs as well as patient and HCP time.

Streamlining rTMS treatment remains an important concern. Compressing treatment schedules (ie, many treatments delivered to a patient in a single day) would allow the entire process to be delivered in days, not weeks. This would be especially advantageous to patients who live far from a treatment site. Performing multiple rTMS daily treatments is especially feasible with iTBS with its short treatment time.

Conclusions

rTMS is an emerging modality with both established and novel applications. The best studied application is treatment resistant MDD. Currently, rTMS has only been approved by the FDA for treatment of MDD. A pilot program was established by the VHA to distribute 30 rTMS machines sites nationwide. Results from data collected by these sites have shown patients improving on standard psychometric scales. Future changes include upgrading the machines to provide θ bursts, which has been shown to be faster and noninferior. Integrating rTMS with other pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies remains poorly understood and needs more research.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an emerging therapy approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for mental health indications but not widely available in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). rTMS uses a device to create magnetic fields that cause electrical current to flow into targeted neurons in the brain.¹ The area of the brain targeted depends on the shape of the magnetic coil and dose of stimulation (Figures 1 and 2). The most common coil shape is the figure-8 coil, which is believed to stimulate about a 2- to 3-cm² area of the brain at a depth of about 2 cm from the coil surface. The stimulus is thought to activate certain nerve growth factors and ultimately relevant neurotransmitters in the stimulated areas and parts of the brain connected to where the stimulus occurs.²

The most common clinical use of rTMS is for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). The FDA has approved rTMS for the treatment of MDD and for at least 4 device manufacturers. The treatment has been studied in multiple clinical trials.³ An overview of these trials, additional rTMS training and educational materials, and device information can be accessed at www.mirecc.va.gov/visn21/education/tms_education.asp. rTMS for MDD administers a personalized dose with stimulation delivered over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. A typical clinical course runs for 40 minutes a day for 20 to 30 sessions. In addition to studies of depression,^1,4-7 rTMS has been studied for the following diseases and conditions:

• Headache (especially migraine)⁸
• Alzheimer disease⁹
• Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)¹⁰
• Obesity¹¹
• Schizophrenia¹²
• Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)¹³
• Alcohol and nicotine dependence¹⁴

The FDA also has approved the use of rTMS for OCD. In addition, some health care providers (HCPs) are treating depression with rTMS in conjunction with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Treatment for Veterans

MDD is one of the most significant risk factors for suicide. Therefore, treating depression with rTMS would likely diminish suicide risk. The annual suicide rate among veterans has been higher than the national average.¹⁵ However, most of these veterans are not getting their care at the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Major efforts at the VA have been made to address this problem, including modification and promotion of the Veterans Crisis Line, increased mental health clinic hours, mental health same-day appointment availability for veterans, as well as raising awareness of suicide and suicidal ideation.¹⁶ George and colleagues showed that it is safe and feasible to treat acutely suicidal inpatients at a VA or US Department of Defense hospital over an intensive 3 day, 3 treatments per day regimen. This regimen would be potentially useful in a suicidal inpatient population, a technically and ethically difficult group to study.¹⁷

MDD in many patients can be chronic and reoccurring with medication and psychotherapy providing inadequate relief.¹⁷ There clearly is a need for additional treatment options. MDD and OCD are the only indications that have received FDA approval for rTMS use. The initial FDA approval for MDD was based on a 2007 study of medication-free patients who had failed previous therapy and found a significant effect of rTMS compared with a sham procedure.⁷ MDD remains a common problem among veterans who have failed one or more antidepressant medications. Such patients might benefit from rTMS.^6,18

rTMS has several advantages over ECT, another significant FDA-approved, nonpharmacologic treatment alternative for medication-refractory MDD. rTMS is less invasive, requires fewer resources, does not require anesthesia or restrict activities, and does not cause memory loss. After an rTMS treatment, the patient can drive home.

Nationwide Pilot Program

The VA pilot program was created to supply rTMS machines nationwide to VHA sites and to offer a framework for establishing a clinical program. Preliminary program evaluation data suggest patients experienced a reduction in depression and suicidal ideation.

There were many challenges to implementation; for example, one VA site was eager to start using the device but could not secure space or personnel. An interdisciplinary team consisting of physicians, nurses, psychologists, suicide prevention coordinators, and others in the VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) Precision Neurostimulation Clinic (PNC) has been instrumental in overcoming these challenges. VAPAHCS oversees the pilot and employs the national director.

Thirty-five sites nationwide were initially selected due to their ability to provide space for a rTMS machine and appropriate staffing to set up and run a Clinic (Figure 3). The pilot started with tertiary care VA medical centers then expanded to include community-based outpatient clinics as resources permitted. Sites that were unable to meet these standards were not included. Of these 35 original sites, 26 are treating patients and collecting data. Some early delays were due to unassigned relative value units (RVUs) to rTMS, which since have been revised as imputed RVU values. The American Medical Association established and defined RVUs to compare the value of different health care roles.¹⁹ The clinics have been established with smooth operations as the pilot program has provided the infrastructure.

REDCap (www.project-redcap.org), a data collection tool used primarily in academic research settings, was selected to gather program evaluation data through patient questionnaires informed by the VHA measurement-based care initiative. Standard psychometrics were readily available in the VHA application and REDCap Mental Health Assistant includes the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) Brief Symptom Inventory 18, Posttraumatic Checklist 5, Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation, and Quality of Life Inventory. The Timberlawn Couple and Family Evaluation Scale (TCFES), which can be completed in 30 to 35 minutes and is a measure of overall function of relevant relationships, also may be added. Future studies are needed to confirm psychometrics of this scale in this setting, but the TCFES metric is widely used for similar purposes.

Nationwide, more than 950 patients have started treatment (ie, including active, completed, and discontinued treatment) and 412 veterans have completed the rTMS treatment. The goal of the program evaluation is to examine large scale rTMS efficacy in a large veteran population as well as determine predictors of individual patient response. Nationwide, PHQ-9 depression scores declined from a pretreatment average (SD) of 18.2 (5.5; range, 5-27) to a posttreatment average (SD) of 11.0 (7.1; range, 0-27). Patients also have indicated a high level of satisfaction with the treatment (Figure 4). Collecting data on a national level is a powerful way to examine rTMS efficacy and predictors of response that might be lost in a smaller subset of cases.

Implementation

It took 11 months for the VA contracting department to determine which machine to buy. However, the lengthy process assured that the equipment selected met all standards for clinical safety and efficacy. Furthermore, provision was made to allow for additional orders as new sites came online as well as upgrading the equipment for advances in technology.

The PNC set up several training programs to ensure proper use of this novel treatment. The education is ongoing and available as new sites are identified and initiated. The education includes, but is not limited to, in-person onsite and offsite training programs, online training modules that are available in the VA Electronic Educational Services (EES), and video telehealth consultations. Participants can view online lectures and then receive hands-on training as part of the educational program. Up to 3 HCPs for each site can receive funding to attend. Online programs also are available for new material to support continuing medical education. However, hands-on training is essential to understand how to obtain the motor threshold, which is used to determine the strength of the rTMS stimulus dose. Furthermore, hands-on training is essential for the proper localization of the stimulus, which is determined by certain anatomical landmarks. A phantom mannequin (ERIK [Evaluating Resting motor threshold and Insuring Kappa]) has been developed to assist in the hands-on learning.²⁰

Relative Value Units

The VHA uses RVUs to properly account for workload and clinician activities. As a result, RVUs play an essential role as a currency that denotes the relative value of one type of clinical activity when compared with other activities. Depending on the treating specialty, clinicians generally use procedure codes outlined in the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code set or the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) for medical billing. Most insurance carriers use RVUs set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) system as a standard system to determine HCP reimbursement for medical procedures.

The CPT codes associated with rTMS currently are 90867 to 90869. CMS had initially assigned a zero RVU to these CPT codes due to wide variations in the cost of performing rTMS. When we began implementing rTMS in the VHA, the lack of RVUs for rTMS rendered it impossible to show clinical workload for this activity using established VHA clinical accounting methods. The lack of RVUs assigned to rTMS CPT codes made justification for this treatment to clinical management difficult, which limited its clinical use in the VHA. In addition, HCPs who were using rTMS to treat severely ill veterans appeared artificially unproductive despite a significant patient workload. As we and VHA leadership became aware the program could not be staffed locally without getting workload credit for work done, the value was raised to 1.37 for treatment (90868) and 2.12 and 1.93 for evaluations (90867) and reevaluations (90869), respectively, thus reducing a potential roadblock to implementation.

Challenges as the Program Expands

Future challenges include upgrading machines to do intermittent θ burst stimulation (iTBS), which decreases the standard treatment time from 37.5 minutes to 3 minutes. Both patients and HCPs find iTBS to have similar tolerability to standard rTMS but in much less time. iTBS mimics endogenous θ rhythms and has been shown to be noninferior to rTMS for depression.^21,22 Several devices have received FDA approval to treat MDD, including the Magstim and MagVenture TMS devices used in this program.

A major challenge for the VHA with rTMS will be to maintain a consistent level of competence and training. There is a need for continued maintenance of staff competence with ongoing training and training for new staff. Novel ways of training operators have been developed including ERIK.

Determining treatment interaction with other psychotherapies and pharmacotherapies is another challenge. Currently, rTMS is considered an adjunctive treatment added to the current patient treatment plan. We do not know yet how best to incorporate this somatic treatment with other approaches, and further research is necessary. A key issue is to determine which approach provides the best long-term results for a patient at risk for recurrence of depression. In addition, more research into maintaining healthy relationships for veterans with both MDD and PTSD is needed.

Many misconceptions exist about rTMS and HCPs need to be educated about the benefits of this modality. In addition, patients should understand the differences between rTMS and ECT. Even with newer approaches that streamline rTMS, the therapy remains costly in terms of direct costs as well as patient and HCP time.

Streamlining rTMS treatment remains an important concern. Compressing treatment schedules (ie, many treatments delivered to a patient in a single day) would allow the entire process to be delivered in days, not weeks. This would be especially advantageous to patients who live far from a treatment site. Performing multiple rTMS daily treatments is especially feasible with iTBS with its short treatment time.

Conclusions

rTMS is an emerging modality with both established and novel applications. The best studied application is treatment resistant MDD. Currently, rTMS has only been approved by the FDA for treatment of MDD. A pilot program was established by the VHA to distribute 30 rTMS machines sites nationwide. Results from data collected by these sites have shown patients improving on standard psychometric scales. Future changes include upgrading the machines to provide θ bursts, which has been shown to be faster and noninferior. Integrating rTMS with other pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies remains poorly understood and needs more research.

The National Institute of Mental Health’s 2020 Strategic Plan outlines priorities in basic science research and clinical trials for psychiatry over the next 5 years, emphasizing where advances are needed in suicide prevention, digital health technology, early diagnosis in psychosis, and much more.

Experts’ reaction to the strategic plan is mixed. Some applaud the NIMH for addressing many essential research priorities and for returning a balance to the focus on basic/translational research and clinical advances. Others would have liked to see a different emphasis on some components of the plan.
 

Focusing on diversity

A greater weight on research in diverse populations and a renewed focus on studies across the lifespan – including developmental origins of psychiatric illness – are among the novel aspects of the plan.

“The enhanced attention to recruiting diverse subjects and focusing on diversity in our research is new and very welcome,” Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD, chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Research, said in an interview.

Addressing the entire lifespan is likewise important, added Dr. Alpert, who holds the Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. “Many of the conditions we treat – whether they are mood disorders or even dementia– might have developmental origins that would be best studied early in life.”

Furthermore, the plan promotes more interdisciplinary collaboration. For example, there are new cross-cutting research themes, including prevention, environmental influences, global health, and more. These are areas where psychiatry needs strengthening, said Stevan M. Weine, MD, director of Global Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in an interview.

In the era of COVID-19, which will involve ongoing diseases and disasters such as those tied to climate changes and disparities, there will be a need to conduct research and train researchers who are more open to new research questions, said Dr. Weine, also director of the Center for Global Health and professor of psychiatry at the university. It also will be important to partner with researchers from multiple disciplines, he added.

The plan also recognizes novel applications of digital technology. In addition, the plan outlines the promise of “harnessing the power of data,” such as machine learning, to help identify suicide risk factors based on large data, for example. However, Igor Galynker, MD, PhD, predicted that this technology will likely identify factors that “we see again and again,” such as depression, other forms of mental illness, and previous attempt history.

“Machine learning is useful but should not be emphasized” even if it is “technologically sexy and almost seductive,” Dr. Galynker, director of the Suicide Research & Prevention Laboratory at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said in an interview.
 

Addressing suicide

The strategic plan places a renewed emphasis on suicide prevention. The report cites a “troubling rise in the national suicide rate.” The authors suggested expanding initial success with brief screening tools in emergency departments to other clinical settings. Furthermore, the report highlights evidence that pairing such screening with low-cost follow-up interventions, such as telephone calls, can reduce the number of suicide attempts the following year.

Widespread screening could help identify people at risk, but it relies on the honesty of self-reporting, Dr. Galynker said, adding that about 75% of people who end their own lives never disclose their plan to anyone. Furthermore, suicide intent can be very short-lived – a crisis lasting as little as 15 minutes for some – reducing the likelihood that routine screening will flag a person in crisis.

“What is missing is an individual approach,” Dr. Galynker said while also endorsing the systemic approach to suicide prevention in the plan. “One thing in the strategic plan I may not agree with is the emphasis on administrative prediction measures ... based on drop-down menus and risk factors, and not on patient stories.” Risk factors are useful for long-term or lifetime risk, but they are not going to predict who will switch to acute suicidal state in the next several days or hours.”

Instead, Dr. Galynker suggested screening people for suicide crisis syndrome, which is “a very defined, characteristic, reproducible, and importantly, treatable,” state.

Covering basic neuroscience

Suicide prevention is just one of seven challenges and opportunities highlighted in the strategic plan. The authors also address research priorities for early treatment of psychosis and for research into mental health equity, HIV/AIDS research, genetics, and neural circuits.

“My overall impression is it’s very positive,” said Dr. Alpert, who is also professor and chair of the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Albert Einstein. “It really spans basic and translational neuroscience all the way to health services research and health disparities research. And I think, for many of us, we welcome that. It feels very relevant to the broad span of meaningful psychiatric research.”

Dr. Weine agreed. The strategic plan is “very helpful,” he said. “It is comprehensive, broad, and multidisciplinary.”
 

Promoting four overall goals

The plan seeks to promote the four following goals:

• Define the brain mechanisms underlying complex behaviors.
• Examine mental illness trajectories across the lifespan.
• Strive for prevention and cures.
• Strengthen the public health effects of National Institutes of Health–supported research.

The first goal is “an effort to try to make sense of the underlying biology, and that has to be your foundation point,” Ken Duckworth, MD, chief medical officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Arlington, Va., said in an interview. “The reason we don’t have a lot of new drug discovery is because the fundamentals of biology still need understanding. It’s a long-term goal, so it’s hard,” he added. “Everyone living with someone in their life with an illness wants better ideas now.”

The third goal is likewise challenging, Dr. Duckworth said. “That is optimistic and ... aspirational, but very important and valuable.”

Developing innovative models

Regarding the public health goal, Dr. Duckworth cited one of the objectives, to “Develop innovative service delivery models to dramatically improve the outcomes of mental health services received in diverse communities and populations.” Dr. Duckworth explained, “Trying to solve for the problem in the context of an inadequate workforce that is insufficiently diverse – it just gets to something that I’m not sure would have been a priority in the past.

“That speaks to the awakening we’re having as a society. To address some of these historic and systemic injustices and how research can play into that is really important,” Dr. Duckworth added.

Overall, he saluted the plan and its goals. Dr. Duckworth added, “We gave some feedback that we wanted more emphasis on co-occurring disorders, such as research into people with mental health and addiction [issues] and on premature mortality. I think they took some of that feedback.”
 

Facing ‘significant challenges’

The plan “faces key challenges, such as rising suicide rates, high stigma, and social drivers of mental illnesses,” Dr. Weine added. “It sets a path for scientific advances that are responsive to these problems.” 

“The future is bright. Looking forward to the next 5 years and beyond, the new NIMH Strategic Plan for Research aims to build on these advances,” Joshua A. Gordon, MD, PhD, NIMH director, noted in his Director’s Messages blog.

“Nonetheless, we face significant challenges,” he adds. “Studies of the origins of mental illnesses suggest that a combination of causes – genetic, environmental, social, and psychological – act on the brain through a complex web of interactions, resulting in a set of heterogeneous and overlapping illnesses.”

“My hope is that the actual funding of research over the coming years reflects the comprehensive, broad, and multidisciplinary characteristics of this strategic plan,” Dr. Weine said.

The NIMH plans to its post progress for each goal on an ongoing basis on the Strategic Plan website.

Dr. Alpert, Dr. Galynker, Dr. Weine, and Dr. Duckworth had no relevant disclosures.

The National Institute of Mental Health’s 2020 Strategic Plan outlines priorities in basic science research and clinical trials for psychiatry over the next 5 years, emphasizing where advances are needed in suicide prevention, digital health technology, early diagnosis in psychosis, and much more.

Experts’ reaction to the strategic plan is mixed. Some applaud the NIMH for addressing many essential research priorities and for returning a balance to the focus on basic/translational research and clinical advances. Others would have liked to see a different emphasis on some components of the plan.
 

Focusing on diversity

A greater weight on research in diverse populations and a renewed focus on studies across the lifespan – including developmental origins of psychiatric illness – are among the novel aspects of the plan.

“The enhanced attention to recruiting diverse subjects and focusing on diversity in our research is new and very welcome,” Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD, chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Research, said in an interview.

Addressing the entire lifespan is likewise important, added Dr. Alpert, who holds the Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. “Many of the conditions we treat – whether they are mood disorders or even dementia– might have developmental origins that would be best studied early in life.”

Furthermore, the plan promotes more interdisciplinary collaboration. For example, there are new cross-cutting research themes, including prevention, environmental influences, global health, and more. These are areas where psychiatry needs strengthening, said Stevan M. Weine, MD, director of Global Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in an interview.

In the era of COVID-19, which will involve ongoing diseases and disasters such as those tied to climate changes and disparities, there will be a need to conduct research and train researchers who are more open to new research questions, said Dr. Weine, also director of the Center for Global Health and professor of psychiatry at the university. It also will be important to partner with researchers from multiple disciplines, he added.

The plan also recognizes novel applications of digital technology. In addition, the plan outlines the promise of “harnessing the power of data,” such as machine learning, to help identify suicide risk factors based on large data, for example. However, Igor Galynker, MD, PhD, predicted that this technology will likely identify factors that “we see again and again,” such as depression, other forms of mental illness, and previous attempt history.

“Machine learning is useful but should not be emphasized” even if it is “technologically sexy and almost seductive,” Dr. Galynker, director of the Suicide Research & Prevention Laboratory at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said in an interview.
 

Addressing suicide

The strategic plan places a renewed emphasis on suicide prevention. The report cites a “troubling rise in the national suicide rate.” The authors suggested expanding initial success with brief screening tools in emergency departments to other clinical settings. Furthermore, the report highlights evidence that pairing such screening with low-cost follow-up interventions, such as telephone calls, can reduce the number of suicide attempts the following year.

Widespread screening could help identify people at risk, but it relies on the honesty of self-reporting, Dr. Galynker said, adding that about 75% of people who end their own lives never disclose their plan to anyone. Furthermore, suicide intent can be very short-lived – a crisis lasting as little as 15 minutes for some – reducing the likelihood that routine screening will flag a person in crisis.

“What is missing is an individual approach,” Dr. Galynker said while also endorsing the systemic approach to suicide prevention in the plan. “One thing in the strategic plan I may not agree with is the emphasis on administrative prediction measures ... based on drop-down menus and risk factors, and not on patient stories.” Risk factors are useful for long-term or lifetime risk, but they are not going to predict who will switch to acute suicidal state in the next several days or hours.”

Instead, Dr. Galynker suggested screening people for suicide crisis syndrome, which is “a very defined, characteristic, reproducible, and importantly, treatable,” state.

Covering basic neuroscience

Suicide prevention is just one of seven challenges and opportunities highlighted in the strategic plan. The authors also address research priorities for early treatment of psychosis and for research into mental health equity, HIV/AIDS research, genetics, and neural circuits.

“My overall impression is it’s very positive,” said Dr. Alpert, who is also professor and chair of the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Albert Einstein. “It really spans basic and translational neuroscience all the way to health services research and health disparities research. And I think, for many of us, we welcome that. It feels very relevant to the broad span of meaningful psychiatric research.”

Dr. Weine agreed. The strategic plan is “very helpful,” he said. “It is comprehensive, broad, and multidisciplinary.”
 

Promoting four overall goals

The plan seeks to promote the four following goals:

• Define the brain mechanisms underlying complex behaviors.
• Examine mental illness trajectories across the lifespan.
• Strive for prevention and cures.
• Strengthen the public health effects of National Institutes of Health–supported research.

The first goal is “an effort to try to make sense of the underlying biology, and that has to be your foundation point,” Ken Duckworth, MD, chief medical officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Arlington, Va., said in an interview. “The reason we don’t have a lot of new drug discovery is because the fundamentals of biology still need understanding. It’s a long-term goal, so it’s hard,” he added. “Everyone living with someone in their life with an illness wants better ideas now.”

The third goal is likewise challenging, Dr. Duckworth said. “That is optimistic and ... aspirational, but very important and valuable.”

Developing innovative models

Regarding the public health goal, Dr. Duckworth cited one of the objectives, to “Develop innovative service delivery models to dramatically improve the outcomes of mental health services received in diverse communities and populations.” Dr. Duckworth explained, “Trying to solve for the problem in the context of an inadequate workforce that is insufficiently diverse – it just gets to something that I’m not sure would have been a priority in the past.

“That speaks to the awakening we’re having as a society. To address some of these historic and systemic injustices and how research can play into that is really important,” Dr. Duckworth added.

Overall, he saluted the plan and its goals. Dr. Duckworth added, “We gave some feedback that we wanted more emphasis on co-occurring disorders, such as research into people with mental health and addiction [issues] and on premature mortality. I think they took some of that feedback.”
 

Facing ‘significant challenges’

The plan “faces key challenges, such as rising suicide rates, high stigma, and social drivers of mental illnesses,” Dr. Weine added. “It sets a path for scientific advances that are responsive to these problems.” 

“The future is bright. Looking forward to the next 5 years and beyond, the new NIMH Strategic Plan for Research aims to build on these advances,” Joshua A. Gordon, MD, PhD, NIMH director, noted in his Director’s Messages blog.

“Nonetheless, we face significant challenges,” he adds. “Studies of the origins of mental illnesses suggest that a combination of causes – genetic, environmental, social, and psychological – act on the brain through a complex web of interactions, resulting in a set of heterogeneous and overlapping illnesses.”

“My hope is that the actual funding of research over the coming years reflects the comprehensive, broad, and multidisciplinary characteristics of this strategic plan,” Dr. Weine said.

The NIMH plans to its post progress for each goal on an ongoing basis on the Strategic Plan website.

Dr. Alpert, Dr. Galynker, Dr. Weine, and Dr. Duckworth had no relevant disclosures.

The National Institute of Mental Health’s 2020 Strategic Plan outlines priorities in basic science research and clinical trials for psychiatry over the next 5 years, emphasizing where advances are needed in suicide prevention, digital health technology, early diagnosis in psychosis, and much more.

Experts’ reaction to the strategic plan is mixed. Some applaud the NIMH for addressing many essential research priorities and for returning a balance to the focus on basic/translational research and clinical advances. Others would have liked to see a different emphasis on some components of the plan.
 

Focusing on diversity

A greater weight on research in diverse populations and a renewed focus on studies across the lifespan – including developmental origins of psychiatric illness – are among the novel aspects of the plan.

“The enhanced attention to recruiting diverse subjects and focusing on diversity in our research is new and very welcome,” Jonathan E. Alpert, MD, PhD, chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Research, said in an interview.

Addressing the entire lifespan is likewise important, added Dr. Alpert, who holds the Dorothy and Marty Silverman Chair of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. “Many of the conditions we treat – whether they are mood disorders or even dementia– might have developmental origins that would be best studied early in life.”

Furthermore, the plan promotes more interdisciplinary collaboration. For example, there are new cross-cutting research themes, including prevention, environmental influences, global health, and more. These are areas where psychiatry needs strengthening, said Stevan M. Weine, MD, director of Global Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in an interview.

In the era of COVID-19, which will involve ongoing diseases and disasters such as those tied to climate changes and disparities, there will be a need to conduct research and train researchers who are more open to new research questions, said Dr. Weine, also director of the Center for Global Health and professor of psychiatry at the university. It also will be important to partner with researchers from multiple disciplines, he added.

The plan also recognizes novel applications of digital technology. In addition, the plan outlines the promise of “harnessing the power of data,” such as machine learning, to help identify suicide risk factors based on large data, for example. However, Igor Galynker, MD, PhD, predicted that this technology will likely identify factors that “we see again and again,” such as depression, other forms of mental illness, and previous attempt history.

“Machine learning is useful but should not be emphasized” even if it is “technologically sexy and almost seductive,” Dr. Galynker, director of the Suicide Research & Prevention Laboratory at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, said in an interview.
 

Addressing suicide

The strategic plan places a renewed emphasis on suicide prevention. The report cites a “troubling rise in the national suicide rate.” The authors suggested expanding initial success with brief screening tools in emergency departments to other clinical settings. Furthermore, the report highlights evidence that pairing such screening with low-cost follow-up interventions, such as telephone calls, can reduce the number of suicide attempts the following year.

Widespread screening could help identify people at risk, but it relies on the honesty of self-reporting, Dr. Galynker said, adding that about 75% of people who end their own lives never disclose their plan to anyone. Furthermore, suicide intent can be very short-lived – a crisis lasting as little as 15 minutes for some – reducing the likelihood that routine screening will flag a person in crisis.

“What is missing is an individual approach,” Dr. Galynker said while also endorsing the systemic approach to suicide prevention in the plan. “One thing in the strategic plan I may not agree with is the emphasis on administrative prediction measures ... based on drop-down menus and risk factors, and not on patient stories.” Risk factors are useful for long-term or lifetime risk, but they are not going to predict who will switch to acute suicidal state in the next several days or hours.”

Instead, Dr. Galynker suggested screening people for suicide crisis syndrome, which is “a very defined, characteristic, reproducible, and importantly, treatable,” state.

Covering basic neuroscience

Suicide prevention is just one of seven challenges and opportunities highlighted in the strategic plan. The authors also address research priorities for early treatment of psychosis and for research into mental health equity, HIV/AIDS research, genetics, and neural circuits.

“My overall impression is it’s very positive,” said Dr. Alpert, who is also professor and chair of the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Albert Einstein. “It really spans basic and translational neuroscience all the way to health services research and health disparities research. And I think, for many of us, we welcome that. It feels very relevant to the broad span of meaningful psychiatric research.”

Dr. Weine agreed. The strategic plan is “very helpful,” he said. “It is comprehensive, broad, and multidisciplinary.”
 

Promoting four overall goals

The plan seeks to promote the four following goals:

• Define the brain mechanisms underlying complex behaviors.
• Examine mental illness trajectories across the lifespan.
• Strive for prevention and cures.
• Strengthen the public health effects of National Institutes of Health–supported research.

The first goal is “an effort to try to make sense of the underlying biology, and that has to be your foundation point,” Ken Duckworth, MD, chief medical officer at the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Arlington, Va., said in an interview. “The reason we don’t have a lot of new drug discovery is because the fundamentals of biology still need understanding. It’s a long-term goal, so it’s hard,” he added. “Everyone living with someone in their life with an illness wants better ideas now.”

The third goal is likewise challenging, Dr. Duckworth said. “That is optimistic and ... aspirational, but very important and valuable.”

Developing innovative models

Regarding the public health goal, Dr. Duckworth cited one of the objectives, to “Develop innovative service delivery models to dramatically improve the outcomes of mental health services received in diverse communities and populations.” Dr. Duckworth explained, “Trying to solve for the problem in the context of an inadequate workforce that is insufficiently diverse – it just gets to something that I’m not sure would have been a priority in the past.

“That speaks to the awakening we’re having as a society. To address some of these historic and systemic injustices and how research can play into that is really important,” Dr. Duckworth added.

Overall, he saluted the plan and its goals. Dr. Duckworth added, “We gave some feedback that we wanted more emphasis on co-occurring disorders, such as research into people with mental health and addiction [issues] and on premature mortality. I think they took some of that feedback.”
 

Facing ‘significant challenges’

The plan “faces key challenges, such as rising suicide rates, high stigma, and social drivers of mental illnesses,” Dr. Weine added. “It sets a path for scientific advances that are responsive to these problems.” 

“The future is bright. Looking forward to the next 5 years and beyond, the new NIMH Strategic Plan for Research aims to build on these advances,” Joshua A. Gordon, MD, PhD, NIMH director, noted in his Director’s Messages blog.

“Nonetheless, we face significant challenges,” he adds. “Studies of the origins of mental illnesses suggest that a combination of causes – genetic, environmental, social, and psychological – act on the brain through a complex web of interactions, resulting in a set of heterogeneous and overlapping illnesses.”

“My hope is that the actual funding of research over the coming years reflects the comprehensive, broad, and multidisciplinary characteristics of this strategic plan,” Dr. Weine said.

The NIMH plans to its post progress for each goal on an ongoing basis on the Strategic Plan website.

Dr. Alpert, Dr. Galynker, Dr. Weine, and Dr. Duckworth had no relevant disclosures.

The Navajo people have dealt with adversity that has tested our strength and resilience since our creation. In Navajo culture, the Holy People or gods challenged us with Naayee (monsters). We endured and learned from each Naayee, hunger, and death to name a few adversities. The COVID-19 pandemic, or “Big Cough” (Dikos Nitsaa’igii -19 in Navajo language) is a monster confronting the Navajo today. It has had significant impact on our nation and people.

The Navajo have the most cases of the COVID-19 virus of any tribe in the United States, and numbers as of May 31, 2020, are 5,348, with 246 confirmed deaths.¹ The Navajo Nation, which once lagged behind New York, has reported the largest per-capita infection rate in the United States.

These devastating numbers, which might be leveling off, are associated with Navajo people having higher-than-average numbers of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This is compounded with 30%-40% of homes having no electricity or running water, and a poverty rate of about 38%.²

Geographical and cultural factors also contribute to the inability to gain a foothold in mitigating the number of cases. The Navajo Nation is the largest tribe in the United States, covering 27,000 square miles over an arid, red rock expanse with canyons and mountains. The population is over 250,000,³ and Navajo have traditionally lived in matrilineal clan units throughout the reservation, the size of West Virginia. The family traditional dwelling, called a “hogan,” often is clustered together. Multiple generations live together in these units. The COVID-19 virus inflicted many Navajo and rapidly spread to the elderly in these close-proximity living quarters.

Most Navajo live away from services and grocery stores and travel back and forth for food and water, which contributes to the virus rapidly being transmitted among the community members. Education aimed at curbing travel and spread of the virus was issued with curfews, commands to stay at home and keep social distance, and protect elders. The Navajo leadership and traditional medicine people, meanwhile, advised the people to follow their cultural values by caring for family and community members and providing a safe environment.
 

Resources are spread out

There are only 13 stores in this expansive reservation,⁴ so tribal members rely on traveling to border towns, such as Farmington and Gallup, N.M., Families usually travel to these towns on weekends to replenish food and supplies. There has been a cluster of cases in Gallup, N.M., so to reduce the numbers, the town shut itself off from outsiders – including the Navajo people coming to buy food, do laundry, and get water and feed for livestock. This has affected and stressed the Navajo further in attempting to access necessities.

Access to health care is already challenging because of lack of transportation and distance. This has made it more difficult to access COVID-19 testing and more challenging to get the results back. The Indian Health Service has been the designated health care system for the Navajo since 1955. The Treaty of Bosque Redondo, signed by the Navajo in 1868, included the provision of health care, as well as education in exchange for tracts of land, that included the Navajo homeland or Dinetah.⁵

The Indian Health Service provides care with hospitals and clinics throughout the reservation. Some of the IHS facilities have been taken over by the Navajo, so there are four Navajo tribally controlled hospitals, along with one private hospital. Coordination of care for a pandemic is, therefore, more challenging to coordinate. This contributes to problems with coordination of the health care, establishing alternate care sites, accessing personal protective equipment, and providing testing sites. The Navajo Nation Council is working hard to equitably distribute the $600 million from the CARES Act.⁶

Dealing with the pandemic is compromised by chronic underfunding from the U.S. government. The treaty obligation of the U.S. government is to provide health care to all federally recognized Native Americans. The IHS, which has been designated to provide that care for a tribal person, gets one-third the Medicare dollars for health care provided for a person in the general population.⁷ Health factors have led to the public health issues of poorly controlled diabetes, obesity, and coronary artery disease, which is related to this underfunding and the high rate of COVID-19 cases. Parts of the reservation are also exposed to high levels of pollution from oil and gas wells from the coal-fueled power plants. Those exposed to these high levels of pollutions have a higher than average number of cases of COVID-19, higher than in areas where the pollution is markedly lower.⁸

The Navajo are having to rely on the strength and resilience of traditional Navajo culture and philosophy to confront this monster, Dikos Nitsaa’igii’ 19. We have relied on Western medicine and its limited resources but now need to empower the strength from our traditional ways of knowing. We have used this knowledge in times of adversity for hundreds of years. The Navajo elders and medicine people have reminded us we have dealt with monsters and know how to endure hardship and be resilient. This helps to ameliorate mental health conditions, but there are still issues that remain challenging.

Those having the virus go through times of shortness of breath, which produces anxiety and panic. The risk of death adds further stress, and for a family-oriented culture, the need to isolate from family adds further stress. For the elderly and young people with more serious disease having to go to the hospital alone without family, often far from home, is so challenging. Connecting family by phone or social media with those stricken is essential to decrease anxiety and isolation. Those infected with the virus can learn breathing exercises, which can help the damage from the virus and decrease emotional activation and triggers. Specific breathing techniques can be taught by medical providers. An effective breathing technique to reduce anxiety is coherent breathing, which is done by inhaling 6 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds without holding your breath. Behavioral health practitioners are available in the tribal and IHS mental health clinics to refer patients to therapy support to manage anxiety and are available by telemedicine. Many of these programs are offering social media informational sessions for the Navajo community. Navajo people often access traditional healing for protection prayers and ceremonies. Some of the tribal and IHS programs provide traditional counselors to talk to. The Navajo access healing that focuses on restoring balance to the body, mind, and spirit.

Taking action against the virus by social distancing, hand washing, and wearing masks can go a long way in reducing anxiety and fear about getting the virus. Resources to help the Navajo Nation are coming from all over the world, from as far as Ireland,⁹ Doctors Without Borders, ¹⁰ and University of San Francisco.¹¹

Two resources that provide relief on the reservation are the Navajo Relief Fund and United Natives.
 

References

1. Navaho Times. 2020 May 27.

2. Ingalls A et al. BMC Obes. 2019 May 6. doi: 10.1186/s40608-019-0233-9.

3. U.S. Census 2010, as reported by discovernavajo.com.

4. Gould C et al. “Addressing food insecurity on the Navajo reservation through sustainable greenhouses.” 2018 Aug.

5. Native Knowledge 360. Smithsonian Institution. “Bosque Redondo.”

6. Personal communication, Carl Roessel Slater, Navajo Nation Council delegate.

7. IHS Profile Fact Sheet.

8. Wu X et al. medRxiv. 2020 Apr 27.

9. Carroll R. ”Irish support for Native American COVID-19 relief highlights historic bond.” The Guardian. 2020 May 9.

10. Capatides C. “Doctors Without Borders dispatches team to the Navajo Nation” CBS News. 2020 May 11.

11. Weiler N. “UCSF sends second wave of health workers to Navajo Nation.” UCSF.edu. 2020 May 21.
 

Dr. Roessel is a Navajo board-certified psychiatrist practicing in Santa Fe, N.M., working with the local indigenous population. She has special expertise in cultural psychiatry; her childhood was spent growing up in the Navajo Nation with her grandfather, who was a Navajo medicine man. Her psychiatric practice focuses on integrating indigenous knowledge and principles. Dr. Roessel is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She has no disclosures.

The Navajo people have dealt with adversity that has tested our strength and resilience since our creation. In Navajo culture, the Holy People or gods challenged us with Naayee (monsters). We endured and learned from each Naayee, hunger, and death to name a few adversities. The COVID-19 pandemic, or “Big Cough” (Dikos Nitsaa’igii -19 in Navajo language) is a monster confronting the Navajo today. It has had significant impact on our nation and people.

The Navajo have the most cases of the COVID-19 virus of any tribe in the United States, and numbers as of May 31, 2020, are 5,348, with 246 confirmed deaths.¹ The Navajo Nation, which once lagged behind New York, has reported the largest per-capita infection rate in the United States.

These devastating numbers, which might be leveling off, are associated with Navajo people having higher-than-average numbers of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This is compounded with 30%-40% of homes having no electricity or running water, and a poverty rate of about 38%.²

Geographical and cultural factors also contribute to the inability to gain a foothold in mitigating the number of cases. The Navajo Nation is the largest tribe in the United States, covering 27,000 square miles over an arid, red rock expanse with canyons and mountains. The population is over 250,000,³ and Navajo have traditionally lived in matrilineal clan units throughout the reservation, the size of West Virginia. The family traditional dwelling, called a “hogan,” often is clustered together. Multiple generations live together in these units. The COVID-19 virus inflicted many Navajo and rapidly spread to the elderly in these close-proximity living quarters.

Most Navajo live away from services and grocery stores and travel back and forth for food and water, which contributes to the virus rapidly being transmitted among the community members. Education aimed at curbing travel and spread of the virus was issued with curfews, commands to stay at home and keep social distance, and protect elders. The Navajo leadership and traditional medicine people, meanwhile, advised the people to follow their cultural values by caring for family and community members and providing a safe environment.
 

Resources are spread out

There are only 13 stores in this expansive reservation,⁴ so tribal members rely on traveling to border towns, such as Farmington and Gallup, N.M., Families usually travel to these towns on weekends to replenish food and supplies. There has been a cluster of cases in Gallup, N.M., so to reduce the numbers, the town shut itself off from outsiders – including the Navajo people coming to buy food, do laundry, and get water and feed for livestock. This has affected and stressed the Navajo further in attempting to access necessities.

Access to health care is already challenging because of lack of transportation and distance. This has made it more difficult to access COVID-19 testing and more challenging to get the results back. The Indian Health Service has been the designated health care system for the Navajo since 1955. The Treaty of Bosque Redondo, signed by the Navajo in 1868, included the provision of health care, as well as education in exchange for tracts of land, that included the Navajo homeland or Dinetah.⁵

The Indian Health Service provides care with hospitals and clinics throughout the reservation. Some of the IHS facilities have been taken over by the Navajo, so there are four Navajo tribally controlled hospitals, along with one private hospital. Coordination of care for a pandemic is, therefore, more challenging to coordinate. This contributes to problems with coordination of the health care, establishing alternate care sites, accessing personal protective equipment, and providing testing sites. The Navajo Nation Council is working hard to equitably distribute the $600 million from the CARES Act.⁶

Dealing with the pandemic is compromised by chronic underfunding from the U.S. government. The treaty obligation of the U.S. government is to provide health care to all federally recognized Native Americans. The IHS, which has been designated to provide that care for a tribal person, gets one-third the Medicare dollars for health care provided for a person in the general population.⁷ Health factors have led to the public health issues of poorly controlled diabetes, obesity, and coronary artery disease, which is related to this underfunding and the high rate of COVID-19 cases. Parts of the reservation are also exposed to high levels of pollution from oil and gas wells from the coal-fueled power plants. Those exposed to these high levels of pollutions have a higher than average number of cases of COVID-19, higher than in areas where the pollution is markedly lower.⁸

The Navajo are having to rely on the strength and resilience of traditional Navajo culture and philosophy to confront this monster, Dikos Nitsaa’igii’ 19. We have relied on Western medicine and its limited resources but now need to empower the strength from our traditional ways of knowing. We have used this knowledge in times of adversity for hundreds of years. The Navajo elders and medicine people have reminded us we have dealt with monsters and know how to endure hardship and be resilient. This helps to ameliorate mental health conditions, but there are still issues that remain challenging.

Those having the virus go through times of shortness of breath, which produces anxiety and panic. The risk of death adds further stress, and for a family-oriented culture, the need to isolate from family adds further stress. For the elderly and young people with more serious disease having to go to the hospital alone without family, often far from home, is so challenging. Connecting family by phone or social media with those stricken is essential to decrease anxiety and isolation. Those infected with the virus can learn breathing exercises, which can help the damage from the virus and decrease emotional activation and triggers. Specific breathing techniques can be taught by medical providers. An effective breathing technique to reduce anxiety is coherent breathing, which is done by inhaling 6 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds without holding your breath. Behavioral health practitioners are available in the tribal and IHS mental health clinics to refer patients to therapy support to manage anxiety and are available by telemedicine. Many of these programs are offering social media informational sessions for the Navajo community. Navajo people often access traditional healing for protection prayers and ceremonies. Some of the tribal and IHS programs provide traditional counselors to talk to. The Navajo access healing that focuses on restoring balance to the body, mind, and spirit.

Taking action against the virus by social distancing, hand washing, and wearing masks can go a long way in reducing anxiety and fear about getting the virus. Resources to help the Navajo Nation are coming from all over the world, from as far as Ireland,⁹ Doctors Without Borders, ¹⁰ and University of San Francisco.¹¹

Two resources that provide relief on the reservation are the Navajo Relief Fund and United Natives.
 

References

1. Navaho Times. 2020 May 27.

2. Ingalls A et al. BMC Obes. 2019 May 6. doi: 10.1186/s40608-019-0233-9.

3. U.S. Census 2010, as reported by discovernavajo.com.

4. Gould C et al. “Addressing food insecurity on the Navajo reservation through sustainable greenhouses.” 2018 Aug.

5. Native Knowledge 360. Smithsonian Institution. “Bosque Redondo.”

6. Personal communication, Carl Roessel Slater, Navajo Nation Council delegate.

7. IHS Profile Fact Sheet.

8. Wu X et al. medRxiv. 2020 Apr 27.

9. Carroll R. ”Irish support for Native American COVID-19 relief highlights historic bond.” The Guardian. 2020 May 9.

10. Capatides C. “Doctors Without Borders dispatches team to the Navajo Nation” CBS News. 2020 May 11.

11. Weiler N. “UCSF sends second wave of health workers to Navajo Nation.” UCSF.edu. 2020 May 21.
 

Dr. Roessel is a Navajo board-certified psychiatrist practicing in Santa Fe, N.M., working with the local indigenous population. She has special expertise in cultural psychiatry; her childhood was spent growing up in the Navajo Nation with her grandfather, who was a Navajo medicine man. Her psychiatric practice focuses on integrating indigenous knowledge and principles. Dr. Roessel is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She has no disclosures.

The Navajo people have dealt with adversity that has tested our strength and resilience since our creation. In Navajo culture, the Holy People or gods challenged us with Naayee (monsters). We endured and learned from each Naayee, hunger, and death to name a few adversities. The COVID-19 pandemic, or “Big Cough” (Dikos Nitsaa’igii -19 in Navajo language) is a monster confronting the Navajo today. It has had significant impact on our nation and people.

The Navajo have the most cases of the COVID-19 virus of any tribe in the United States, and numbers as of May 31, 2020, are 5,348, with 246 confirmed deaths.¹ The Navajo Nation, which once lagged behind New York, has reported the largest per-capita infection rate in the United States.

These devastating numbers, which might be leveling off, are associated with Navajo people having higher-than-average numbers of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. This is compounded with 30%-40% of homes having no electricity or running water, and a poverty rate of about 38%.²

Geographical and cultural factors also contribute to the inability to gain a foothold in mitigating the number of cases. The Navajo Nation is the largest tribe in the United States, covering 27,000 square miles over an arid, red rock expanse with canyons and mountains. The population is over 250,000,³ and Navajo have traditionally lived in matrilineal clan units throughout the reservation, the size of West Virginia. The family traditional dwelling, called a “hogan,” often is clustered together. Multiple generations live together in these units. The COVID-19 virus inflicted many Navajo and rapidly spread to the elderly in these close-proximity living quarters.

Most Navajo live away from services and grocery stores and travel back and forth for food and water, which contributes to the virus rapidly being transmitted among the community members. Education aimed at curbing travel and spread of the virus was issued with curfews, commands to stay at home and keep social distance, and protect elders. The Navajo leadership and traditional medicine people, meanwhile, advised the people to follow their cultural values by caring for family and community members and providing a safe environment.
 

Resources are spread out

There are only 13 stores in this expansive reservation,⁴ so tribal members rely on traveling to border towns, such as Farmington and Gallup, N.M., Families usually travel to these towns on weekends to replenish food and supplies. There has been a cluster of cases in Gallup, N.M., so to reduce the numbers, the town shut itself off from outsiders – including the Navajo people coming to buy food, do laundry, and get water and feed for livestock. This has affected and stressed the Navajo further in attempting to access necessities.

Access to health care is already challenging because of lack of transportation and distance. This has made it more difficult to access COVID-19 testing and more challenging to get the results back. The Indian Health Service has been the designated health care system for the Navajo since 1955. The Treaty of Bosque Redondo, signed by the Navajo in 1868, included the provision of health care, as well as education in exchange for tracts of land, that included the Navajo homeland or Dinetah.⁵

The Indian Health Service provides care with hospitals and clinics throughout the reservation. Some of the IHS facilities have been taken over by the Navajo, so there are four Navajo tribally controlled hospitals, along with one private hospital. Coordination of care for a pandemic is, therefore, more challenging to coordinate. This contributes to problems with coordination of the health care, establishing alternate care sites, accessing personal protective equipment, and providing testing sites. The Navajo Nation Council is working hard to equitably distribute the $600 million from the CARES Act.⁶

Dealing with the pandemic is compromised by chronic underfunding from the U.S. government. The treaty obligation of the U.S. government is to provide health care to all federally recognized Native Americans. The IHS, which has been designated to provide that care for a tribal person, gets one-third the Medicare dollars for health care provided for a person in the general population.⁷ Health factors have led to the public health issues of poorly controlled diabetes, obesity, and coronary artery disease, which is related to this underfunding and the high rate of COVID-19 cases. Parts of the reservation are also exposed to high levels of pollution from oil and gas wells from the coal-fueled power plants. Those exposed to these high levels of pollutions have a higher than average number of cases of COVID-19, higher than in areas where the pollution is markedly lower.⁸

The Navajo are having to rely on the strength and resilience of traditional Navajo culture and philosophy to confront this monster, Dikos Nitsaa’igii’ 19. We have relied on Western medicine and its limited resources but now need to empower the strength from our traditional ways of knowing. We have used this knowledge in times of adversity for hundreds of years. The Navajo elders and medicine people have reminded us we have dealt with monsters and know how to endure hardship and be resilient. This helps to ameliorate mental health conditions, but there are still issues that remain challenging.

Those having the virus go through times of shortness of breath, which produces anxiety and panic. The risk of death adds further stress, and for a family-oriented culture, the need to isolate from family adds further stress. For the elderly and young people with more serious disease having to go to the hospital alone without family, often far from home, is so challenging. Connecting family by phone or social media with those stricken is essential to decrease anxiety and isolation. Those infected with the virus can learn breathing exercises, which can help the damage from the virus and decrease emotional activation and triggers. Specific breathing techniques can be taught by medical providers. An effective breathing technique to reduce anxiety is coherent breathing, which is done by inhaling 6 seconds and exhaling for 6 seconds without holding your breath. Behavioral health practitioners are available in the tribal and IHS mental health clinics to refer patients to therapy support to manage anxiety and are available by telemedicine. Many of these programs are offering social media informational sessions for the Navajo community. Navajo people often access traditional healing for protection prayers and ceremonies. Some of the tribal and IHS programs provide traditional counselors to talk to. The Navajo access healing that focuses on restoring balance to the body, mind, and spirit.

Taking action against the virus by social distancing, hand washing, and wearing masks can go a long way in reducing anxiety and fear about getting the virus. Resources to help the Navajo Nation are coming from all over the world, from as far as Ireland,⁹ Doctors Without Borders, ¹⁰ and University of San Francisco.¹¹

Two resources that provide relief on the reservation are the Navajo Relief Fund and United Natives.
 

References

1. Navaho Times. 2020 May 27.

2. Ingalls A et al. BMC Obes. 2019 May 6. doi: 10.1186/s40608-019-0233-9.

3. U.S. Census 2010, as reported by discovernavajo.com.

4. Gould C et al. “Addressing food insecurity on the Navajo reservation through sustainable greenhouses.” 2018 Aug.

5. Native Knowledge 360. Smithsonian Institution. “Bosque Redondo.”

6. Personal communication, Carl Roessel Slater, Navajo Nation Council delegate.

7. IHS Profile Fact Sheet.

8. Wu X et al. medRxiv. 2020 Apr 27.

9. Carroll R. ”Irish support for Native American COVID-19 relief highlights historic bond.” The Guardian. 2020 May 9.

10. Capatides C. “Doctors Without Borders dispatches team to the Navajo Nation” CBS News. 2020 May 11.

11. Weiler N. “UCSF sends second wave of health workers to Navajo Nation.” UCSF.edu. 2020 May 21.
 

Dr. Roessel is a Navajo board-certified psychiatrist practicing in Santa Fe, N.M., working with the local indigenous population. She has special expertise in cultural psychiatry; her childhood was spent growing up in the Navajo Nation with her grandfather, who was a Navajo medicine man. Her psychiatric practice focuses on integrating indigenous knowledge and principles. Dr. Roessel is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. She has no disclosures.

While many across the world who have access to Netflix and other streaming services have been on lockdown, the second season of Ricky Gervais’s dark comedy series, “After Life,” was released. The show will also return for a third season.

The setup of the show is that Lisa, the wife of Gervais’s protagonist, Tony, has died of breast cancer. Knowing that he would need help after, she made him a video guide to life without her, ranging from the mundane of a garbage day or house alarm to feeding their dog Brandy, tidying the house, and constantly reminding him to take care of himself.

When we first see Tony, he is not doing great on self-care, and he has turned his grief into a “super power” allowing himself to do or say whatever he wants to – from pretending to reprimand his dog for calling a man (who had just told him his dog should be on a lead) a “fat hairy nosy !#$%&” to getting into a name-calling exchange with a primary school child. He later (jokingly) threatens this same child with a hammer, so that the child will stop bullying his nephew.

Tony works as the head of features for the Tambury Gazette, the free local paper. The comedy is full of the hometown charm with Tony and the photographer, Lenny, visiting the homes of the interesting personalities who have called into the paper with their small-town newsworthy stories.

Colorful characters abound in his town, including Postman Pat, who pops in and helps himself to a bath. Tony develops an unlikely friendship with a sex worker whom he hires to clean his house – since she said that she would do “anything for 50 quid.”

Tony, in the midst of an existential crisis, visits his wife’s grave frequently. While there, he meets an older widow, Anne, who befriends him and offers good advice. (Anne is played by Penelope Wilton of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Downton Abbey.)

Tony also dutifully visits his father daily at the Autumnal Leaves Care Home. His father has dementia and keeps asking about Lisa, forgetting that she is dead. Tony comments that if his father were a dog, he would euthanize him. In actuality, Tony’s dog, Brandy, stops Tony’s potential suicide throughout the series.

Matt, who is Tony’s brother-in-law (and boss at the paper) describes Tony as “devastated, suicidal.” Tony explains that he can do and say what he wants, and “then when it all gets too much, I can always kill myself.” By season 2, Matt’s wife has left him, and he, too, needs to see the psychiatrist.

The problem is the Tambury psychiatrist (played by Paul Kaye). General psychiatrists in film have been described in various ways by the late Irving Schneider, MD, including Dr. Evil, Dr. Wonderful, and Dr. Dippy types. “Dr. Dippy’s Sanitarium” was a 1906 silent film in which Dr. Dippy is seen lacking in common sense but being harmless overall. Based on the behaviors displayed in and out of therapy, the Tambury psychiatrist could never be described as Dr. Wonderful, leading to the Dr. Evil or the Dr. Dippy options. He is certainly using patients for his own personal gratification (like a Dr. Evil might) and is certainly lacking in common sense and acting “crazier or more foolish than his patients”¹ (like a Dr. Dippy). However, this psychiatrist may need a category all to himself.

Reference

1. Schneider I. Am J Psychiatry. 1987 Aug;144(8):966-1002.

While many across the world who have access to Netflix and other streaming services have been on lockdown, the second season of Ricky Gervais’s dark comedy series, “After Life,” was released. The show will also return for a third season.

The setup of the show is that Lisa, the wife of Gervais’s protagonist, Tony, has died of breast cancer. Knowing that he would need help after, she made him a video guide to life without her, ranging from the mundane of a garbage day or house alarm to feeding their dog Brandy, tidying the house, and constantly reminding him to take care of himself.

When we first see Tony, he is not doing great on self-care, and he has turned his grief into a “super power” allowing himself to do or say whatever he wants to – from pretending to reprimand his dog for calling a man (who had just told him his dog should be on a lead) a “fat hairy nosy !#$%&” to getting into a name-calling exchange with a primary school child. He later (jokingly) threatens this same child with a hammer, so that the child will stop bullying his nephew.

Tony works as the head of features for the Tambury Gazette, the free local paper. The comedy is full of the hometown charm with Tony and the photographer, Lenny, visiting the homes of the interesting personalities who have called into the paper with their small-town newsworthy stories.

Colorful characters abound in his town, including Postman Pat, who pops in and helps himself to a bath. Tony develops an unlikely friendship with a sex worker whom he hires to clean his house – since she said that she would do “anything for 50 quid.”

Tony, in the midst of an existential crisis, visits his wife’s grave frequently. While there, he meets an older widow, Anne, who befriends him and offers good advice. (Anne is played by Penelope Wilton of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Downton Abbey.)

Tony also dutifully visits his father daily at the Autumnal Leaves Care Home. His father has dementia and keeps asking about Lisa, forgetting that she is dead. Tony comments that if his father were a dog, he would euthanize him. In actuality, Tony’s dog, Brandy, stops Tony’s potential suicide throughout the series.

Matt, who is Tony’s brother-in-law (and boss at the paper) describes Tony as “devastated, suicidal.” Tony explains that he can do and say what he wants, and “then when it all gets too much, I can always kill myself.” By season 2, Matt’s wife has left him, and he, too, needs to see the psychiatrist.

The problem is the Tambury psychiatrist (played by Paul Kaye). General psychiatrists in film have been described in various ways by the late Irving Schneider, MD, including Dr. Evil, Dr. Wonderful, and Dr. Dippy types. “Dr. Dippy’s Sanitarium” was a 1906 silent film in which Dr. Dippy is seen lacking in common sense but being harmless overall. Based on the behaviors displayed in and out of therapy, the Tambury psychiatrist could never be described as Dr. Wonderful, leading to the Dr. Evil or the Dr. Dippy options. He is certainly using patients for his own personal gratification (like a Dr. Evil might) and is certainly lacking in common sense and acting “crazier or more foolish than his patients”¹ (like a Dr. Dippy). However, this psychiatrist may need a category all to himself.

Reference

1. Schneider I. Am J Psychiatry. 1987 Aug;144(8):966-1002.

While many across the world who have access to Netflix and other streaming services have been on lockdown, the second season of Ricky Gervais’s dark comedy series, “After Life,” was released. The show will also return for a third season.

The setup of the show is that Lisa, the wife of Gervais’s protagonist, Tony, has died of breast cancer. Knowing that he would need help after, she made him a video guide to life without her, ranging from the mundane of a garbage day or house alarm to feeding their dog Brandy, tidying the house, and constantly reminding him to take care of himself.

When we first see Tony, he is not doing great on self-care, and he has turned his grief into a “super power” allowing himself to do or say whatever he wants to – from pretending to reprimand his dog for calling a man (who had just told him his dog should be on a lead) a “fat hairy nosy !#$%&” to getting into a name-calling exchange with a primary school child. He later (jokingly) threatens this same child with a hammer, so that the child will stop bullying his nephew.

Tony works as the head of features for the Tambury Gazette, the free local paper. The comedy is full of the hometown charm with Tony and the photographer, Lenny, visiting the homes of the interesting personalities who have called into the paper with their small-town newsworthy stories.

Colorful characters abound in his town, including Postman Pat, who pops in and helps himself to a bath. Tony develops an unlikely friendship with a sex worker whom he hires to clean his house – since she said that she would do “anything for 50 quid.”

Tony, in the midst of an existential crisis, visits his wife’s grave frequently. While there, he meets an older widow, Anne, who befriends him and offers good advice. (Anne is played by Penelope Wilton of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Downton Abbey.)

Tony also dutifully visits his father daily at the Autumnal Leaves Care Home. His father has dementia and keeps asking about Lisa, forgetting that she is dead. Tony comments that if his father were a dog, he would euthanize him. In actuality, Tony’s dog, Brandy, stops Tony’s potential suicide throughout the series.

Matt, who is Tony’s brother-in-law (and boss at the paper) describes Tony as “devastated, suicidal.” Tony explains that he can do and say what he wants, and “then when it all gets too much, I can always kill myself.” By season 2, Matt’s wife has left him, and he, too, needs to see the psychiatrist.

The problem is the Tambury psychiatrist (played by Paul Kaye). General psychiatrists in film have been described in various ways by the late Irving Schneider, MD, including Dr. Evil, Dr. Wonderful, and Dr. Dippy types. “Dr. Dippy’s Sanitarium” was a 1906 silent film in which Dr. Dippy is seen lacking in common sense but being harmless overall. Based on the behaviors displayed in and out of therapy, the Tambury psychiatrist could never be described as Dr. Wonderful, leading to the Dr. Evil or the Dr. Dippy options. He is certainly using patients for his own personal gratification (like a Dr. Evil might) and is certainly lacking in common sense and acting “crazier or more foolish than his patients”¹ (like a Dr. Dippy). However, this psychiatrist may need a category all to himself.

Reference

1. Schneider I. Am J Psychiatry. 1987 Aug;144(8):966-1002.