Harvard Psychopharmacology 2025: A Master Class

2025 Course Overview

We are pleased to offer our 14th annual two-day Master Class uniquely designed for practicing clinicians, clinical researchers, and trainees in psychiatry. Presentations will focus on typical psychiatric patients with emphasis on those who are difficult to treat or are treatment resistant. Newer treatments and developing treatment strategies will be discussed including the use of genetic tests, blood level measurements, and drug combinations. New research that can inform clinical practice will be emphasized.

This conference will focus on the following topics: An updated review of neurobiology and brain function taking the attendee through neurotransmission sequence from the central role of neurotransmitter circuits, transmitters and receptors, synaptic function gene transcription, and interaction between genes and the environment. Drug treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder will be presented with a focus on prodromal symptoms and first episode patients, as well as long-term maintenance, and treatment resistant patients. New antipsychotic medications and treatment augmentation will be reviewed along with potential new uses for mood stabilizers. Neurobiological mechanisms of depression with a discussion of both the genetic and epigenetic contribution, and the role of inflammation will be highlighted. Modern use of antidepressants will be based on the latest clinical findings. Special consideration will be given to ketamine, ECT, TMS, psychedelics, and augmentation strategies for treatment resistant depression, and bipolar depression.

Diagnosis and treatment of anxiety, and anxiety-spectrum disorders as well as their pharmacological treatment will be presented, including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, along with recent data regarding the risks and benefits of benzodiazepines. The etiology and standard pharmacological treatment of PTSD will be discussed including the new use of ketamine and psychedelics in a separate presentation. The evaluation and psychopharmacological treatment of women’s mental health issues will be updated with particular emphasis on PMS, perinatal, and postpartum disorders. The course will also include a review of the neurobiology and treatment of sleep disorders in psychiatry as well as a lecture on the neurobiology and treatment of alcohol, cannabis, and other substance abuse disorders. Basic neurobiological and pharmacological factors in the treatment of child and adolescent affective disorders,, and latest advances in geriatric psychopharmacology and neuropsychiatry will be reviewed.

The latest advances in the diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of autism spectrum disorders will be presented for the first time in this Master Class series.

Throughout the course both the establishment and importance of the therapeutic alliance when prescribing all psychotropic medications as well as new neurobiological research findings that will influence clinical practice.

Who Should Attend

• Psychiatrists and other Physicians
• Pharmacists
• Nurse Practitioners
• Physician Assistants
• Nurses
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Medical students, residents and other trainees

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Evaluate the effects of neurotransmitters, neurocircuits, and genes on psychotropic drug treatment.
• Describe the pharmacologic treatment of schizophrenia with particular reference to the prodromal period and first episode.
• Outline the emerging theories and treatments of bipolar disorder, depression, treatment resistant depression, bipolar depression, stress, and anxiety, PTSD, and neuropsychiatric disorders.
• Discuss the role of psychopharmacology in the management of depression and bipolar disorder in childhood and adolescence.
• Identify the benefits and risks of ketamine and psychedelics, including use for PTSD.
• Discuss the role of psychotropic medications in women’s mental health with an emphasis on PMS, pregnancy, nursing, and the postpartum period.
• Explain the role of psychopharmacology in the treatment of substance use disorders with particular emphasis on alcohol, opiates, and cannabis.
• Give examples of the latest advances and problems associated with treatment approaches in the geriatric populations.