J Psychiatr Res

Combining quetiapine and cognitive behavioral therapy reduces suicide risk in mood disorders

January 22, 2026

In a randomized 12‑week trial of 137 adults with mood disorders, adding cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to quetiapine produced substantially greater reductions in suicide risk vs. quetiapine alone. At baseline, high‑risk rates were similar between groups (45.7% vs. 46.3%). After 12 weeks, high suicide risk decreased by 15.7% with quetiapine alone and by 32.9% with the addition of CBT. The percentage of patients with high suicide risk was lower in the combination group than in the quetiapine‑only group at week 12 (13.4% vs. 30.0%).

Clinical takeaway: Consider pairing CBT with quetiapine to help reduce suicide risk and improve depressive symptoms in adults with mood disorders.

Source:

Wang K, et al. (2026, January 3). J Psychiatr Res. Effect of adding cognitive behavioral therapy to quetiapine on suicide risk, depressive symptoms, and coping style in adult patients with mood disorders. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41494488/