The Department of Psychiatry supports resident and faculty investigation into many aspects of mental health. Psychiatry residents learn to develop focused research questions through faculty mentorship, as well as the collection, reduction, analysis and interpretation of data. Residents are provided with opportunities to experience a variety of projects in both basic and clinical research.
Basic and clinical research is conducted in the Department of Psychiatry, in the General Clinical Research Center of the Medical Center and as an integral part of programs in the community. A number of ongoing projects in
sleep and sleep disorders,
eating disorders,
social anxiety disorders, and panic disorders in child, adolescent, adult and geriatric patients reflect the diversity and expertise of the faculty.
Major areas of concentration include:- Epidemiology, assessment, diagnosis, and management of child and adolescent emotional and behavioral disorders in children including ADHD
- Validity and reliability of objective testing instruments for early detection of emotional and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents
- Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation issues associated with severe eating disorders
- Cognitive and other psychiatric disorders in the elderly
- Evaluation of the diagnosis of dementia including brain imaging
- Efficacy and side effects of various treatments for the elderly including psychoactive medication and ECT
- Impact of violence in our society on children and adults
- Influence of television on behavior
- Activation and regulation of neurotransmitter receptors
- Development of empirically supported family and behavioral interventions for childhood anxiety disorders
