Sleep and circadian rhythms, the 24-hour cycles of the body’s physiological processes, are important components of health. Likewise, disruptions in these systems are linked to a number of health conditions, including substance abuse. The developmental changes in sleep and circadian rhythms that occur during adolescence leave teenagers particularly vulnerable to addiction. A review recently published in the journal...

Susanne Ahmari, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, has been recognized by the One Mind organization for her groundbreaking research exploring the mechanisms of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The honors were announced at the Scientific Symposium at the 24th Music Festival for Brain Health that took place September 15th in Rutherford, California. Dr. Ahmari was presented with the One Mind Rising Star...

The Graduate School of Public Health and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh have launched a new T32 pre- and postdoctoral training program in Population Neuroscience of Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease funded by the National Institute on Aging. The program is codirected by Drs. Caterina Rosano, Professor of Epidemiology, and Mary Ganguli, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, Epidemiology, and Neurology...

The Department of Psychiatry is mourning the recent passing of esteemed colleague James Perel, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Pharmacology. Dr. Perel was a gifted scientist and teacher who was devoted to advancing pharmacologic treatments for psychiatric disorders and training the next generation of clinician educators and academic scientists. Dr. Perel held academic appointments at New York University...

Front Row: Michele Levine, PhD (Co-Director), Andrea Wieckowski, Caroline Hoyniak, Karen Jakubowski Back Row: Elizabeth Fyne (Administrator), Katherine Foster, Kathryn Fox, and Tina Goldstein, PhD (Co-Director) The Clinical Psychology Internship program has welcomed a new class of talented students from across the country to Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic. This year, more than 3,100 applicants were...

Despite being common and impairing, bipolar II disorder (BD II) is a neglected condition. BD II is characterized by multiple recurrent depressive episodes punctuated by infrequent hypomanic episodes. In one longitudinal study, the ratio of depressive to hypomanic episodes over time was 30:1. Thus, BD II is dominated by depression which, though less striking than mania (a more severe form of hypomania), can be the...

Martica Hall, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, doesn’t spend her days forging new ground in oil field exploration like her father did, but she certainly is doing so in the field of dreams we call sleep. Dr. Hall was born in Venezuela and her dad’s work as a geologist in the oil business kept her family overseas, living in Bolivia, Argentina, Venezuela and Colombia, until she moved to Miami for high school. Likely...

Registration is now open for the Seventh Annual Clinician Educator Showcase, slated for October 11th. This special half-day event, hosted by the Department of Psychiatry and Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) and Community Care Behavioral Health, celebrates the many accomplishments of our talented clinician educators and staff and features an interactive plenary session and breakout sessions on a wide...

The Department is pleased to welcome the following physicians to the faculty: Daniel Fishman MD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Fishman earned his MD at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his adult psychiatry residency at WPIC. As a resident, he also participated in the Academic Administrator Clinician-Educator track and completed a Consultation Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship. He serves...

Circadian rhythms are near 24-hour oscillations controlling many aspects of physiology and behavior. The coordination and orchestration of these rhythms maintain homeostasis throughout the body. Evidence from humans suggests disruptions to circadian rhythms and sleep are linked to several psychiatric disorders, including substance use and abuse disorders. Indeed, several human and animal studies have demonstrated...