Despite improvements in pharmacotherapy, treatment resistance in mood disorders is unfortunately too common. This symposium will focus on re-evaluating the use of older drugs for the treatment of mood disorders. Dr Paul Stokes (King’s College London) will present data from a recently completed network meta-analysis comparing the effects of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s) to other antidepressant classes.
Dr Stokes will use this data, along with the recently published RCPsych MAOI position statement, to explore their use in treating depression. Professor Guy Goodwin (University of Oxford, Compass Pathways) will provide an update on the use of another older drug, psilocybin, for the treatment of mood disorders. Although psilocybin was first synthesised in 1958, it was not made available for medical use, but in the past few years there has been a considerably renewed interest in re-evaluating the potential of psilocybin for treating mood disorders.
Finally, Professor Allan Young (King’s College London) will provide an update on the use of lithium in mood disorders with a particular focus on its anti-suicidal effects. We hope that the symposium will provide a timely re-evaluation of older drugs for mood disorders and will stimulate debate about their use, particularly in treatment-resistant depression.
This session will give you:
- A better understanding of the types, use and effects of MAOI antidepressants compared to other drug classes.
- A better understanding of the potential of psilocybin for the treatment of mood disorders.
- An update on the use of lithium with a focus on its anti-suicidal effects.
- A refreshed framework of how these older drugs fit with modern day practice in mood disorders and a practical update on their use.
Chair: Paul Stokes, Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
Allan Young, Centre for Affective Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, United Kingdom
Guy Goodwin, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
