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Mark April 17-20, 2016, on your calendar and start planning to attend the premier conference on psychopharmacology “Where Pharmacy and Psychiatry Meet.” CPNP 2016 will offer a full lineup of highly regarded experts that will provide you with excellent opportunities for learning on topics that are timely and relevant.

The Role of Microbiota in Health and Disease: The Emerging Gut-Brain Connection
Monday, April 18 • 8:15-9:15 a.m.

The human indigenous microbiota are an essential component of the modern concept of human health. There is a current explosion of research in this area and emerging data suggests a role of the microbiome in human disease through physiologic, immunologic and metabolic pathways. This cutting-edge keynote will deliver an overview of the microbiota in human health in disease and an overview of how modulation through treatments could change the microbiome and possible course of disease with focus on mental health.

Brain, Genes, Medication and the Lifetime Course of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Monday, April 18 • 10:45-11:45 a.m.

While many children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder will ‘grow out’ of the disorder, many do not and the full syndrome persists into adulthood in around 20-40%. We do not understand why childhood ADHD has such a variable outcome, partly as childhood clinical, demographic and neuropsychological characteristics are very weak predictors of outcome. This keynote considers how neuroimaging and genomics can inform our understanding of the neurobiology of this highly variable lifetime course of this prevalent disorder. It will also consider whether psychostimulants, which are commonly prescribed for the disorder, impact the long-term course of the disorder.

Becoming More Mindful: Learning for Self-Management and Patient Care
Tuesday, April 19 • 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are important skills that can complement or in some cases, be used in lieu of pharmacotherapy. Psychiatric pharmacists should be able to adeptly discuss these skills with patients including how MBIs compare to pharmacotherapy in terms of effectiveness. Emphasis will be placed on how patients and professionals can increase health and happiness by operating in an intentional mode instead of on automatic mode. Dr. Sood will explain how our brains are not hard-wired for contentment and while genetics account for up to half of our happiness potential, the rest is within our control. Pharmacists themselves can benefit tremendously from practicing these skills in both personal and professional settings to reduce stress and burnout.

Vitamin Supplementation in Schizophrenia Treatment: The Role of Folic Acid, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12
Wednesday, April 20 • 9:00-10:00 a.m.

It is well known that antipsychotics are the mainstay of schizophrenia treatment. We do not yet fully understand the pathophysiology of schizophrenia or if dopamine is a primary neurotransmitter or only a secondary messenger in the etiology of the illness. Environmental factors such as diet and vitamins have been shown to be associated with schizophrenia during the illness and during prenatal development when deficiencies in vitamins may play a key role in neurodevelopment. This keynote will discuss the growing evidence that vitamins, particularly folic acid, vitamin D and vitamin B12, may have a role in schizophrenia. Accumulating evidence will be addressed showing that genetic polymorphisms or subgroup factors may contribute to greater treatment response for symptoms in people with schizophrenia.

 

For more information on all the programs being offered at CPNP 2016, April 17-20, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, visit the schedule page. Online registration will open mid-November.

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