Psychiatry Advances

Dr. Deepak Sarpal is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry/Medical Director of Services for Treatment of Early Psychosis at WPH. This Podcast focuses upon Clozapine, a very valuable but underused treatment for refractory schizophrenia, also brain science involving functional imaging associated with patient improvement on anti-psychotic drugs. Findings include brain pre-frontal cortex connectivity and synchronization of function with brain striatum, limbic system structures, Globus Pallidus.

Dr. David Brent is an Endowed Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at Pitt/WPH. He is the national expert for understanding, predicting and intervening in Adolescent suicidal behavior, having researched these topics for more than thirty years and conducting relevant controlled clinical trials. This Podcast reviews results of these clinical trials, specifically the challenges of population and individual prediction, screening, machine learning, intervention and approaches for patient safety planning.

Roy Chengappa, MD, is professor of psychiatry and medical director/chief of Comprehensive Recovery Services at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital. This service includes care for 5,000 to 10,000 serious, chronically mentally ill patients. Kimberly Clinebell, MD, is major clinician at the Pathways, a long-term structural residence and locked community setting. This podcast describes continuing treatment of these patients given the necessity of social distancing and isolation. This includes continuing clozapine and injection treatments.

Dr. Jody Glance is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry/Medical Director of Addiction Services/ in-hospital and community. Providing a range of services for patients with addiction to substances has never been easy. This Podcast summarizes how, under Dr. Glance’ s leadership, treatment for patients continues despite difficulties. Changes in regulations, “new staff learning” has permitted “detox at a distance”, protecting patients from COVID risk, modifications of med. Rx, changed group treatment approaches.

Jack Rozel, MD, is associate professor of psychiatry and medical director at resolve Crisis Services. He is president of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry. This podcast addresses the pandemic functioning of an established, multi-purpose, and community-based crisis center. Crises are not defined by the patient or family having a psychiatric disorder. The center has dealt with challenges associated with the pandemic. This podcast also addresses the role of national helplines during COVID-19. Follow Dr. Rozel on Twitter at @ViolenceWonks

Boris Birmaher MD. is Endowed Chair- Early Onset Bipolar Disease/Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. This Podcast addresses two research questions: 1) Who among Children and Adolescents are at Risk to develop Bipolar Spectrum Disorder: 2) among patients who develop this disorder who is at risk for recurrence? This is a controlled prospective twenty year duration research study of children at higher risk because at least one of their parents has this disorder.

Neil P. Jones Ph.D. is an expert on the spectrum of Depressions, including their diverse manifestations and impact on cognitive-behavioral processes, for example accompanying rumination, stress-related anxiety, and anhedonia. This podcast focuses on subtypes of depression relating to brain pathways.

A cancer diagnosis and treatment can be difficult on both patients and their families emotionally. But support is available for people who need it. In this podcast, Robin Valpey, MD, medical director, Center for Counseling and Support, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, and Elizabeth Hale, MD, clinical assistant professor, Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, discuss the mental health care available for cancer patients and their loved ones from the beginning of treatment onward. They also discuss the role of psychiatrists in the comprehensive cancer care that UPMC provides.

This Podcast describes integrated care at UPMC/PITT between the Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology. Psychiatric manifestations/treatment of Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Epilepsy, and Migraine are discussed with Morgan Faeder MD, PHD. Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Medical Director of Neuropsychiatry and Director of the Consultation- Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship, and Alex Israel MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Psychiatrist /UPMC Epilepsy and Headache Centers.