June Agenda

Happy Days Are Here Again: Optimizing Outcomes in Depression

All Sessions Will Be Held in Pacific Time (PT)

As depression continues to exert a profound toll on public health, it is imperative for clinicians to stay current on nuanced, evidence-based approaches to its treatment. This half-day program focuses on two underrecognized yet critical aspects of care: difficult-to-treat depression (DTD) and anhedonia. The first session will explore evolving terminology, diagnostic best practices, and both established and emerging treatments for DTD—including rapid-acting agents like ketamine and psychedelics. The second session highlights anhedonia, its neurobiological underpinnings, and the limitations of traditional antidepressants in addressing it. Participants will examine novel therapeutic targets and interventions aimed at improving outcomes and quality of life. By enhancing clinicians’ understanding of DTD and anhedonia, this program aims to drive more precise, compassionate care and ultimately improve outcomes for patients struggling with the most resistant and impairing features of depression.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

7:00 am - 8:00 am

No More Resistance! An Update on Difficult-to-Treat Depression

Mark Zimmerman, MD

In this timely presentation, Dr. Mark Zimmerman explores the shift from “treatment-resistant depression” to the broader, more patient-centered concept of difficult-to-treat depression (DTD). He examines the clinical and societal burden of DTD, challenges in diagnosis, and the impact of delayed treatment response. The session highlights evidence-based pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic strategies—including novel and rapid-acting therapies—and offers practical guidance for implementing these approaches in clinical practice. Attendees will gain actionable insights to improve care and outcomes for patients struggling with this complex condition. 

8:00 am - 9:00 am

Industry Session^†: The Path to Diagnosis of Bipolar II Depression: Differentiation from MDD and Treatment

Bipolar II depression is often misdiagnosed as major depressive disorder. This presentation showcases key differentiators of the symptoms in bipolar II disorder and also highlights a treatment option approved for BOTH bipolar I and bipolar II depression in adults.

Prakash Masand, MD
Adjunct Professor
Duke-National University of Singapore
Singapore

Chairman and CEO
Bella Holdings

Sponsored by Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc.

9:00 am – 9:05 am

Break

9:05 am – 9:35 am

Poster Session^†: More information to come

Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way: The Importance of Addressing Anhedonia in Patients With Depression

Roger S. McIntyre, MD, FRCPC

In this compelling presentation, Dr. Roger S. McIntyre explores the critical yet often overlooked symptom of anhedonia in patients with depression. The session will delve into the neurobiological underpinnings of anhedonia, highlighting key brain circuits and neurotransmitter systems involved in reward processing. Dr. McIntyre will examine the limitations of traditional antidepressants in addressing anhedonia and discuss emerging pharmacologic options, including serotonin-dopamine agents and melatonergic compounds, alongside evidence-based non-pharmacologic strategies. Emphasizing a collaborative, patient-centered approach, this talk aims to equip clinicians with practical tools to improve functional outcomes and quality of life for patients struggling with this debilitating symptom.

10:35 am - 11:00 am

Live Panel Q&A

Roger S. McIntyre, MD, FRCPC and Mark Zimmerman, MD

^†The content of all non-CME/CE events (Industry Symposia, Disease State Sessions, and Poster Sessions) and the views expressed therein are those of the presenting entity and not of NEI. These events are not part of the scientific program and do not provide CME/CE credit. By opening a non-CME/CE event, the attendee opts in to receive follow-up information from the commercial sponsor.

Program Faculty

Roger S. McIntyre, MD, FRCPC

Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

Roger S. McIntyre, MD, FRCPC, is currently a Professor of Psychiatry and Pharmacology at the University of Toronto and Head of the Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit at the University Health Network, Toronto, Canada. Dr. McIntyre is also Executive Director of the Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation in Toronto, Canada.

Dr. McIntyre was named by Thomson Reuters in 2014 and 2015, as one of “The World's Most Influential Scientific Minds”. This distinction is given by publishing the largest number of articles that rank among those most frequently cited by researchers globally in 21 broad fields of science and social science during the previous decade.

Dr. McIntyre is involved in multiple research endeavors which primarily aim to characterize the association between mood disorders, notably cognitive function and medical comorbidity. His works broadly aims to characterize the underlying causes of cognitive impairment in individuals with mood disorders and their impact on workplace functioning. This body of work has provided a platform for identifying novel molecular targets to treat and prevent mood disorders and accompanying cognitive impairment.

Dr. McIntyre is extensively involved in medical education. He is a highly sought-after speaker at both national and international meetings. He has received several teaching awards from the University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry and has been a recipient of the joint Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) / Council of Psychiatric Continuing Education Award for the Most Outstanding Continuing Education Activity in Psychiatry in Canada.

Dr. McIntyre is a contributor to the “Florida Medicaid Drug Therapy Management Program for Behavioral Health: Guidelines for the treatment of adults with Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder”. Dr. McIntyre is also the co-chair of the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) Task Force on the Treatment of Comorbidity in Adults with Major Depressive Disorder or Bipolar Disorder and as well a contributor to the “CANMAT Guidelines for the Treatment of Depressive Disorders and Bipolar Disorders”. Dr. McIntyre has published hundreds of peer-reviewed articles and has edited and/or co-edited several textbooks on mood disorders.

Dr. McIntyre completed his medical degree at Dalhousie University. He received his Psychiatry residency training and Fellowship in Psychiatric Pharmacology at the University of Toronto.

Mark Zimmerman, MD

Chief, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, South County Psychiatry, Cranston, RI

Mark Zimmerman, MD, is a former professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He is currently the Chief of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at South County Psychiatry in Cranston, Rhode Island, where he has adopted the academic medical center approach into a private practice setting.

Dr. Zimmerman received his undergraduate degree from Columbia University, and his medical degree from Chicago Medical School. He completed his postgraduate training at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, and he held an academic appointment as assistant professor at the same time he was a resident in psychiatry.

Dr. Zimmerman has been an active researcher and is a widely published author with more than 500 articles and book chapters. For the past 30 years he has been the principal investigator of the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) project. The goal of the MIDAS project has been to integrate research methodology into routine clinical practice in order to improve clinical practice. He is on the editorial board of 10 journals. Dr. Zimmerman has developed several instruments for clinical and research use and recently validated interviews that he developed for the DSM5-TR anxious distress and mixed features specifiers. Most recently he developed and validated a self-report scale to identify difficult to treat depression. He has won numerous awards for his research, and he served as the personality disorders section editor for the revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. He is the author of the recently revised Interview Guide to Diagnose DSM-5 Psychiatric Disorders and the Mental Status Examination, a leading textbook for psychiatric diagnosis and assessment.