Dopamine Detours: Exploring Innovative Neurotransmitter Targets in the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Course Information
Release date: December 20, 2024
Expiration date: December 20, 2025
Estimated time to complete activity: 45 minutes
PROVIDER STATEMENT

This activity is provided by Integrity CE, LLC.

DISCLOSURE OF COMMERCIAL SUPPORT

This activity is supported by an independent medical educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

After more than 70 years of treating the symptoms of schizophrenia with antipsychotics, it is now known that the hallmark and easily recognizable positive symptoms of schizophrenia — delusions, hearing voices — are often accompanied by equally devastating but less recognized symptoms in the cognitive and negative symptom domains. It’s a flawed but fundamental fact that while effective for some symptoms, traditional antipsychotics (all of which are based on blocking dopamine receptors) are largely inadequate because they don’t address two of the three symptom domains of schizophrenia: cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) and experiential and expressive negative symptoms. While excessive or dysregulated dopamine is still seen to be fundamental to the pathophysiology of this disease, recent research suggests the key to treating symptoms across all domains may lie in developing therapeutics that target different neurotransmitters. KarXT was recently approved by the FDA, marking a potential paradigm shift in schizophrenia treatment. Additionally, iclepertin is being tested in ongoing phase 3 clinical trials. Most clinicians are unaware of these new treatments’ place in the development pipeline and the emerging clinical data. In this Data Dive activity, expert Dr. Daniel Javitt will review recently published articles and presentations from key psychiatry meetings to give psychiatrists and other clinicians who manage patients with schizophrenia the information they need to understand and use these new and emerging treatments.

Learning Objectives
TARGET AUDIENCE

This educational activity has been designed to meet the needs of US-based psychiatrists, primary care and internal medicine physicians, and other clinicians who specialize in managing patients with schizophrenia, including nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Explain the differences between positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms associated with schizophrenia
  • Discuss the key neurotransmitters that are thought to be involved in the pathophysiology of negative symptoms and cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS)
  • Integrate emerging therapeutics, after FDA approval, into treatment options for schizophrenia based on recent clinical trial findings
Faculty Information and Disclosures

FACULTY

Daniel C. Javitt, MD, PhD
Professor and Director, Division of Experimental Therapeutics
Director, Schizophrenia Research Department of Psychiatry
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, New York 

DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Integrity CE, LLC requires instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of this activity to disclose any financial relationships with ineligible companies. All identified relevant financial relationships are thoroughly vetted by Integrity CE, LLC for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies mentioned in the materials or used as the basis for content, and appropriateness of patient care recommendations. All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated.

The following faculty/planners reported the financial relationships or relationships to products or devices they have with ineligible companies related to the content of this CME activity:

Daniel C. Javitt, MD, PhD
Consultant: SK Life Science
Internal Speaker: Boehringer Ingelheim
Major Shareholder: NRx Pharmaceuticals
Monitoring Board Member: Biogen

The Integrity CE, LLC planners and managers do not have any financial relationships or relationships to products or devices with ineligible companies.

Accreditation Information
DIRECTIONS TO LEARNER

There are no fees for participating and receiving CME credit for this activity. During the period of December 20, 2024 through December 20, 2025, participants must:

  • Read the learning objectives
  • Complete the pretest
  • Study the educational activity
  • Complete the posttest and the evaluation form

A statement of credit will be issued only upon receipt of a completed posttest with a score of 66% or better and a completed activity evaluation form.

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT

Integrity CE, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

CREDIT DESIGNATION

Integrity CE, LLC designates this enduring material for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

CONTACT INFORMATION

For information about ACCME accreditation of this activity, please contact Integrity CE, LLC at (855) 835-4004 or cme@integrityce.com.

DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE

This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA. Integrity CE, LLC does not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications.

The opinions expressed in the educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily represent the views of any organization associated with this activity. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.

Disclaimers and Technical Requirements
MEDIA

Internet

PRIVACY POLICY

When you participate in an online educational activity sponsored by Integrity CE, LLC, you will be asked for your name, degree(s), affiliation(s), street address, telephone number and…(continued)

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Processor: Intel Pentium 4, 2.33 + GHz (or equivalent)
Operating Systems: Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 10, and Mac OS
Plug-in: Adobe® Flash® Player 10

  • Adobe® Flash® Player 10 plug-in should be downloaded
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For optimal performance, the use of Internet Explorer below 8 is not recommended

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DISCLAIMER

The information provided at this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.

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