The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology Podcast

Why can it be challenging to find a psychiatrist well-trained in psychopharmacology? An editorial in the March-April 2026 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology suggests that the problem is not just an overall shortage of psychiatrists but also deficiencies in the depth of training, supervision, and evaluations psychiatrists receive during their residencies. As a result, too few psychiatrists are truly prepared to offer integrated psychiatric treatment that melds psychotherapeutic and other treatments with modern psychopharmacology techniques. The editorial offers a variety of recommendations on how to improve the landscape.
 
In this podcast, Dr. Julia Ann Koretski, JCP's Digital Editor, leads a discussion on the topic with the authors of the editorial, Drs. Ira D. Glick, Carl Salzman, and Anthony J. Rothschild.
Article doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000002146

In this podcast, Orges Alabaku discusses his article, "The Use of VMAT2 Inhibitors for Tardive Dyskinesia," which is published in the March-April 2026 issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
 As Dr. Albaku notes, tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a potentially severe and often persistent movement disorder associated with prolonged exposure to dopamine receptor-blocking agents, particularly antipsychotic medications. The only FDA-approved medications for TD are vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitors (VMAT2-Is), valbenazine and deutetrabenazine, while another VMAT2-I medication, tetrabenazine, is used off-label. However, data about VMAT2-I use remain limited.
In their study, Dr. Alabaku and colleagues Mark Olfson, T. Scott Stroup, and Tobias Gerhard characterized trends in TD diagnosis and VMAT2-I use among adults with mental health diagnoses receiving antipsychotics by analyzing 2017-2022 MarketScan data. They report that TD remains underdiagnosed, with treatment rates low, highlighting the need for improved TD recognition and VMAT2-I access.
 
doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000002155

In youth, binge eating is often marked by loss of control eating (LOC-E), defined as difficulty stopping eating and persistent, compulsive food-seeking behaviors that occur even in the absence of physical hunger. In this podcast, Dr. Aaron Keshen discusses his article, titled, "Reduction of Loss of Control Eating in Youth With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Following Initiation of Stimulant Medication: A Prospective Study." In their article, the authors describe a prospective observational study that aimed to examine changes in LOC-E over a 3-month period in youth with comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and LOC-E who initiated stimulant medication.
 
The other authors are Colby Price, Elena Koning, Anastasia L. Harris, Nami Trappenberg, Anja Hilbert, Sara Bartel, Jill Chorney, Laura Dixon, Joseph Sadek, Guido K.W. Frank, Victoria Taylor, Wanda Rasmussen, Hanif Chatur, Drew Yamada, and Stuart B. Murray.



The article is published in the January-February 2026 issue of The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000002106

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a considerable clinical challenge. Esketamine, in conjunction with an oral antidepressant, is a potential treatment for TRD. In this podcast, Dr. Matteo Lupi discusses his article, "Esketamine and Quality of Life Improvement in Treatment-Resistant Depression Patients: A Real-World Clinical Study." The prospective study described in the report explores the long-term effects of esketamine therapy on subjective quality of life in adults with TRD.
 
The other contributing authors are Alessandro Carano, Tiziano Acciavatti, Stefano Marini, Marco Palmucci, Elicio Marinucci, Enrico Paolini, Alessandro Gentile, Angelomarco Barioglio, Marco Giri, Domenico De Berardis, and Giovanni Martinotti. The article is published in the January-February 2026 issue of The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.

doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000002042

Atomoxetine is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor prescribed for the management of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  In this podcast, Emily Yamada discusses her article "Atomoxetine as a Viable ADHD Treatment in Breastfeeding Mothers: Evidence From Human Milk Pharmacokinetic Analysis."
In their article, Yamada and her colleagues present data showing that there is minimal transfer of atomoxetine in breast milk, suggesting that maternal atomoxetine use poses a very low risk to breastfed infants, making it a suitable choice for medication management of ADHD in lactating women.
The other contributing authors are Shraddha Trehan, Amy Stark, Kaytlin Krutsch, and Palika Datta. The article is published in the January-February 2026 issue of The Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.

doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000002109