From the Clinical Knowledge Center

Beating the Winter Blues: Brief Update on Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also called the "winter blues," is a subtype of major depression with a seasonal component. Symptoms begin in the fall or winter, and lessen or remit during spring and summer. SAD affects 1% to 3% of adults, mostly women. Ratios between 1.8:1 and 4:1 have been reported for female predominance. The prevalence of SAD is highest during the reproductive years. For some, SAD lasts a lifetime; for others, it remits or may turn into some other type of depression. SAD can be very disabling in terms of both social and occupational function, and can markedly impair quality of life...

> Read entire article
> Back to top

Compass Questions™

> Back to top

Responses from Last Compass Questions™

In the 10.07.08 issue of Clinical Compass™, we asked two questions.

Question #1 was "How often do you ask patients with sleep complaints to use a sleep diary?" and the neuroscienceCME learning community responded:
33% - Often
32% - Sometimes
20% - Rarely
15% - Never

Question #2 was "How confident are you in choosing the appropriate medication for each patient with sleep complaints?" and the neuroscienceCME learning community responded:
14% - Very confident
23% - Confident
36% - Somewhat confident
27% - Not confident

> Back to top

New Bipolar Disorder Journal Club
Premieres November 17, 2008!

Bipolar Disorder: Individualizing Treatment to Improve Patient Outcomes, Parts 1-3

• PART 1: Assess the role of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in both the pathophysiology and clinical presentations of bipolar and unipolar disorder.
• PART 2: Compare the use of atypical antipsychotics in combination with mood stabilizers versus mood stabilizers plus placebo in patients with bipolar I disorder.
• PART 3: Compare and contrast the use of adjunctive, antidepressant therapy and mood stabilizers with the use of mood stabilizers alone in achieving a durable recovery in BPD.

Credit Information
Earn up to 3.0 CE credits by completing all 3 parts!
This activity offers CE credit for:

• Physicians (ACCME/AMA PRA Category 1)
• Nurses (CNE)
• Pharmacists (ACPE)
• Psychologists (APA)
• Social Workers (NASW)
• Certified Case Managers (CCMC)

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

> Register now for Monday, November 17
> Register now for Tuesday, December 2
> Register now for Monday, December 15
> Back to top