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Lithium For Anxiety Disorders: An Unconventional, Underinvestigated Intervention

Elemental lithium was first discovered by Johann August Arfvedson in 1817 and was later isolated via electrolysis of lithium oxide (Li2O) through a joint effort of William Thomas Brande and Sir Humphrey Davy.  In the 19th century, scientists discovered that lithium was capable of dissolving uric acid crystals isolated from kidneys, and for this reason, …

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Whole-Body Hyperthermia For Depression: Turning Up The Heat To Enhance Mood?

Hyperthermia is defined as supraphysiological body temperature resulting from absorption and/or production of more heat than is dispelled.  Medically, local hyperthermia is often used as an adjunct to radiation and/or chemotherapy for the treatment of cancers.  It is thought that deliberate induction of hyperthermia to a cancerous region of the body increases the sensitivity of …

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Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED): Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is regarded as a subtype of impulse control disorder characterized by impulsive, uncontrollable explosive outbursts of anger, aggression, and/or rage – sometimes accompanied by violence.  To be considered intermittent explosive disorder, the explosive outbursts of anger must be triggered in situations and/or conditions in which such anger is unjustified.  In other …

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Impulse Control Disorder (ICD): Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Impulse control disorder (ICD) is an overarching classificatory label given to psychiatric disorders characterized by inability to resist impulses (or urges) that yield deleterious implications.  Examples of impulse control disorders include: compulsive gambling, incessant sexual encounters, and binge shopping.  If unrecognized and/or unaddressed for an extended duration, an impulse control disorder may ruin a person’s: …

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Effexor (Venlafaxine) For Hot Flashes: A Non-Hormonal Therapy

Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a medication that was originally approved by the FDA in 1993 for the treatment of major depression.  Upon ingestion, Effexor functions as an SNRI (or dual-reuptake inhibitor) by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, and to a lesser extent, norepinephrine.  As a result of serotonergic and noradrenergic reuptake inhibition, concentrations of serotonin and …

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Effexor (Venlafaxine) For Anxiety Disorders: An Effective Anxiolytic?

Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a drug that was introduced in 1993 as a pharmaceutical antidepressant by Wyeth; its marketing rights are now owned by Pfizer.  Pharmacodynamically, it functions primarily as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) and is understood to be the first-ever “dual reuptake inhibitor” approved by the FDA for the treatment of major depressive disorder.  …

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Inositol For Anxiety Disorders: An Effective Treatment?

Inositol (cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol) is a non-essential nutrient synthesized within the body from glucose and is abundant within spinal fluid.  Although inositol exists in the form of 9 distinct stereoisomers, the most abundant format within cellular membranes is myo-inositol, accounting for approximately 95% of free inositol within the body.  Myo-inositol was initially isolated by researchers in 1849, …

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