News Archives | Emory School of Medicine

2023

First of All With Victor Blackwell
CNN - 12/30/23
Dr. Negar Fani talked with Victor Blackwell on health impacts of racism on the brain.

A Newly Approved Medication can Ease Postpartum Depression in as Little as Three Days
GPB - 12/27/23
Dr. Toby Goldsmith, an assistant professor at the Emory University School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, said a new medication, zuranolone, works differently than traditional antidepressants like Prozac.

How to Recover From Trauma: Treatments and When to Seek Help
Everyday Health - 12/18/23
After experiencing a traumatic event, the last thing most people want to do is revisit the circumstances that remind them of what happened.

Yes, Emotional Trauma Can Affect the Brain
Everyday Health - 12/18/23
Traumatic experiences don’t just change our perspective on life. Science tells us that emotional trauma also affects the physical wiring of the brain.

Racism Produces Subtle Brain Changes that Lead to Increased Disease Risk in Black Populations
The Conversation - 12/15/23
The U.S. is in the midst of a racial reckoning. The COVID-19 pandemic, which took a particularly heavy toll on Black communities, turned a harsh spotlight on long-standing health disparities that the public could no longer overlook.

A Neuroflow Podcast: Bridging the Gap
Neuroflow - 12/13/23
Dr. Brandon Kitay, Director of Behavioral Health Integration at Emory Healthcare, shared how he helped Emory build its integrated care program from the ground up, and why he spent six months learning about the biggest problems facing the health system before developing the program.

Emory Faculty Recognized Among World's Most Influential Researchers
Emory - 12/7/23
Nine Emory faculty were recently recognized as part of an elite group of the world’s most influential scientists by the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), a scientific analysis service.

Unlocking Resilience: 5 tips for Navigating Difficult Holiday Experiences
Emory - 11/17/23
As the holiday season approaches, many individuals find themselves grappling with challenging memories or experiences that may evoke intense emotions. Emory Brain Health Center psychologists, Sheila Rauch and Barbara Rothbaum, offer valuable insights to help people navigate difficult experiences during the holidays and beyond.

Emory Healthcare Veterans Program Honors Veterans and Service Members
Emory - 11/3/23
Emory Healthcare Veterans Program (EHVP) is honoring Veterans Day 2023 and recognizing the extraordinary contributions of those who served in the United States Armed Forces. During November and throughout the year, EHVP maintains an unwavering commitment to improving the health of veterans and active-duty service members.

MotherToBaby Gives Rural Pregnant and Breastfeeding Moms 'Fingertip Access' to Exposure Experts
Rural Health Information Hub - 11/1/23
In both rural and non-rural areas, it can be challenging to find reliable information on exposures in a timely manner, noted Claire Coles, PhD, Director of MotherToBaby Georgia.

Addiction Alliance of Georgia Receives 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award from MAP International
Emory - 10/11/23
The Addiction Alliance of Georgia (AAG) has been honored with the prestigious 2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award by MAP International.

Why Can’t I Stop Biting My Lip All the Time? A Psychiatry Professor Explains the Common Tendency
Well + Good - 9/28/23
“In general [a BFRB] is a habit, like fingernail biting, hair pulling, or skin picking, but for it to be meet the criteria to be a disorder, it means that it has to cause some impairment and usually an impairment in functioning,” says Barbara O. Rothbaum, PhD, ABPP, a professor of psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine.

Grady Memorial Hospital Set to Open Georgia’s First ‘Med-Psych’ Facility
Atlanta News First - 9/26/23
“The fact that Georgia is actually making this step is really good for Georgia as a whole, as well as a model for other places,” said Dr. Gray Norquist, chief of behavioral services at Grandy Memorial Hospital.

Unmasking the Impact of Racial Trauma on Brain Health
Impostrix Podcast - 9/20/23
In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Negar Fani, a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Associate Professor at Emory University School of Medicine, joins host Whitney to delve deep into the profound effects of racial trauma on brain health.

Researchers Identify Crucial Biomarker that Tracks Recovery from Treatment-Resistant Depression
Emory - 9/20/23
A team of leading clinicians, engineers and neuroscientists has made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of treatment-resistant depression published online in the journal Nature on Sept. 20.

Psychedelic Drug MDMA Eases PTSD Symptoms in a Study that Paves the Way for Possible US Approval
Associated Press - 9/15/23
“The results that they got are very exciting,” said Barbara Rothbaum, who directs the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program in Atlanta. She was not involved in the research, which was published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Bipolar Disorder and Dating: 6 Tips for Navigating if One Is Getting in the Way of the Other
Everyday Health - 9/12/23
Finding the right time to tell your date you have bipolar disorder isn’t always easy. Doing it too soon or waiting too long both have the potential to create problems in a relationship, says Jeffrey Rakofsky, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

‘A Story Grows in Uganda’ Combines Storytelling Traditions, Shows that Literacy Research Flourishes at Emory
Emory Report - 8/30/23
She is a library administrator whose research focuses on the impact of libraries. He is a clinical psychologist whose research focuses on attachment and the psychological well-being of children and their caregivers.

When Lying Is a Sign of a Health Problem
AARP Magazine - 8/25/23
Memory is a funny thing. We all get details wrong from time to time, misremember or simply have gaps in recall.

A Novel Therapy, Using Writing, Shows Promise for PTSD
New York Times - 8/23/23
A comparatively quick treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, in which a patient writes about traumatic experiences in five supervised 30-minute sessions, is as effective as the therapies most recommended by federal agencies, according to a study published on Wednesday.

Everything You Wanted to Know About IOPs for Pediatric OCD
ADAA Blog - 8/10/23
An IOP is designed to provide more intensive treatment to patients who do not respond to traditional weekly outpatient therapy or whose symptoms are especially severe.

One High from Delta-8 can Lead to Permanent Brain Damage, Warns Georgia Doctor
WSB-TV - 7/20/23 | WSB-AM
“Psychosis can occur even just with one use of Delta-8,” said Dr. Elizabeth McCord, an Emory University Hospital Addiction Center psychiatrist.

Lost in a Brain Fog
Emory Magazine - 7/13/23
More than 22% of people infected with COVID-19 report brain fog as a symptom. Sufferers say their brains feel “broken,” causing problems with focus, memory and energy levels, and sometimes even outright physical pain.

Mindful Moments
Emory Magazine - 7/13/23
Emory experts share tips — from intentional breathing to embracing nature — for bringing balance back into your life.

Psychedelics Get New Respect from Medical Researchers
Atlanta Jewish Times - 7/12/23
Research on psychedelics is an important part of a national effort to treat chronic PTSD and depression.

Sexual Violence has Longer Lasting Health Effects Than You Think
Prevention - 7/5/23
“In the same way 9/11 was terrorism that used an airplane, rape is an act of aggression where sex is the weapon,” says Barbara Rothbaum, PhD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University School of Medicine.

Increasingly, People Live Well with Cancer
Atlanta Jewish Times - 6/28/23
“Each person must make their own decisions on what they should eat or do,” states Dr. Wendy Baer, director of psychiatric oncology at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.

Gun Deaths on the Rise in Georgia, Nonprofit Says
WSAV - 6/28/23
“Seeing this in Atlanta, we see how a community is traumatized when there is gun violence. Our children are, our healthcare systems, our schools, our workplace when there is a gun violence situation,” Dr. Nadine Kaslow, Emory University, School of Medicine explained.

More Women Attempt Suicide. More Men Die by Suicide.
The Hill - 5/18/23
More than 38,000 men died by suicide in 2021, the highest number and rate of deaths in 20 years. Men die of suicide at four times the rate of women.

Seniors Being Treated for Mental and Emotional Post-COVID Problems
Rough Draft Atlanta - 5/17/23
Engaging with people, exercising, and taking up a familiar or fresh activity are all important, says Nadine Kaslow, professor of psychology at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, as well as the chief psychologist for the Grady Health System.

Emory Taps Neuroflow to Scale Collaborative Care Model
HIT Consultant - 5/9/23
Emory Healthcare today announced a partnership with NeuroFlow to support and improve the delivery of psychiatric services for both patients and providers at their Brain Health Center and several sites across Georgia.

Emory Collaborates with NeuroFlow to Increase Access to Behavioral Health Services
Emory News - 5/9/23
Emory Healthcare and the Goizueta Institute @Emory Brain Health are joining forces with NeuroFlow, a behavioral health infrastructure company, to support and improve the delivery of psychiatric services for both patients and providers. The collaboration will also pilot a primary care suicide prevention program.

How Menopause Reshapes the Brain
Nature - 5/3/23
Researchers are starting to learn how the early stages of menopause affect brain health - and what that could mean for treatment.

U.S. Surgeon General Declares Epidemic of Loneliness
WFTV - 5/2/23
“We’re seeing a lot of people just talking about being burned out, tired,” Dr. Nadine Kaslow of the Emory School of Medicine said. “They talk a lot about having sleep problems.”

New Facility in Atlanta Focuses on Addiction Treatment
HC+O News - 4/18/23
A recently completed facility in Georgia aims to help fight addiction while also embracing sustainability, comfort and accessibility—the Addiction Alliance of Georgia in Atlanta, a collaborative, community-based center that integrates addiction-focused treatment, prevention, research, and educational initiatives.

New Resources Available for Post-9/11 Veterans, Service Members in Alabama
Alabama Public Radio - 4/10/23
The Emory Healthcare Veterans Program brings participants from Alabama and across the country to Atlanta for two weeks of treatment and housing free of charge.

Triggering Anxiety | Black Adults, Women Among Those Most Affected
11 Alive - 3/27/23
“Very often women are caught in the middle; the sandwich generation. If they're caring for aging parents and kids, and a family and work, it can add the stress, plus a likely biological predisposition probably results in the greater incidence,” Emory University’s Dr. Barbara Rothbaum added.

VR Is Revolutionizing Therapy. Why Aren't More People Using It?
CNET - 3/26/23
VR therapy has been studied since the 1990s. But as of 2023, we're still talking about its potential.

Veterans get Virtual Access to No-Cost Therapy
Healthcare IT News - 3/14/23
The two-week program fuses technology and traditional therapy to treat PTSD and other conditions in post-9/11 vets. Barbara Rothbaum, executive director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program, explains.

Prominent Researchers Call for Critical Overhaul of Psychiatric Drug Development and New Approaches to Anti-Inflammatory Treatments
Emory - 3/3/23
Many studies have found that inflammation contributes to several psychiatric disorders but developing drugs that target inflammation as a treatment for these conditions is proving to be difficult.

7 Vitamins and Supplements That May be Helpful for Bipolar Disorder
Everyday Health - 2/28/23
“There can be a role for vitamins and supplements in treating bipolar disorder, but as a complement to the first-line treatment, not as substitutes,” explains Jeffrey J. Rakofsky, MD, a psychiatrist at the mood and anxiety disorders program at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

How Inflammation in the Body May Explain Depression in the Brain
Washington Post - 2/23/23
One in five Americans will experience major depressive disorder in their lifetime, and many will not find relief from current therapies. But now researchers have identified an unexpected source of the problem: inflammation.

Racism Takes a Toll on the Brain, Research Shows
Washington Post - 2/16/23
Racism has negatively impacted generations of people, leading to discrimination, lost economic opportunities, racist policing and incarceration, and in many cases, death.

MRI Scans Reveal Disparate Impact of Poverty and Other ‘Toxic Stress’ on Brains of Black Children
Stat - 2/1/23
The finding is “a tremendous contribution to our understanding of how structural inequities evident in early development can create a pathway to increased risk for brain health disparities in Black Americans,” Negar Fani, a neuroscience researcher at Emory University, told STAT.

A Drug that Increases Dopamine can Reverse the Effects of Inflammation on the Brain in Depression, Emory Study Shows
Emory - 1/26/23
An Emory University study published in Nature’s Molecular Psychiatry shows levodopa, a drug that increases dopamine in the brain, has potential to reverse the effects of inflammation on brain reward circuitry, ultimately improving symptoms of depression.

Many Young Adults Experiencing High Levels of Psychological Distress During Pandemic
Yahoo News - 1/24/23 | WPXI-TV
“I think it’s a time of lots of transition - getting into college, graduated from college, having a baby, getting one’s first house, all of those transitions that go in that 18 to 29 age [range] and COVID has really complicated that,” said Dr. Nadine Kaslow, Emory University School of Medicine.

Gains, Explained: Do I Really Have to Go to the Gym?
Men's Health - 1/20/23
The commute sucks, I don't like lines for the squat rack, and it doesn't suit my schedule. Can I stay fit at home?

#Gains, Explained: How Can I Work Out When I'm Depressed?
Men's Health - 1/13/23
How do you stick to a fitness and health routine when you're depressed?

3-Week Program Effective in Helping to Ease Combat-Linked PTSD
HealthDay - 1/5/23 | US News & World Report | St. Louis Post Dispatch
A short but intensive approach to "talk therapy" can help many combat veterans overcome post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new clinical trial has found.

2022

Neuroscientists Have Created a Mood Decoder that can Measure Depression
12/14/22
“Depression is a complex illness,” says Patricio Riva Posse, a neurologist at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, who was not involved in the trial. “It’s not like trying to correct one tremor—there’s a whole universe of symptoms.” These include low mood, suicidality, inability to experience pleasure, and changes in motivation, sleep, and appetite.

Aerobic Exercise Augments PTSD Therapy
12/6/22
A brief aerobic exercise intervention can augment the benefits of exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), new research suggests.

New Virtual Reality Apps Focus on Mental Health, but Their Effectiveness Isn't Known
11/25/22
Gathering robust, long-term data is crucial to evaluating this or any similar program, said Barbara Rothbaum, a psychologist at the Emory University School of Medicine. Rothbaum published a paper on the use of VR to treat a fear of heights in 1995.

Is Trauma Actually Stored in Our Hips?
11/15/22
If you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, you might’ve heard the desperate “where is it?” audio play on loop over a video of a woman struggling to stretch out her hips. She grimaces, lunging deeper into the movement, and the caption reads, “trying to find and release the stored trauma in my hips so I can be healed.”

Metro Atlanta Opens Addiction Center to Help Those Impacted by the Opioid Epidemic
10/28/22
The new Emory Addiction Center sits on the campus of Emory University Hospital at Wesley Woods. It offers outpatient and intensive-outpatient addiction treatment and co-occurring mental health care for adolescents and adults.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to Open Pediatric Mental Health Center Through Major Donation
10/27/22
There are so much unmet mental health needs of children, and there are excellent treatments that are available that a majority of children are not getting access to until it’s too late and their conditions have worsened, and they’re reaching crisis proportions.

Addiction Alliance of Georgia Opens New Treatment Center in Atlanta
10/27/22
Two years after launching the Addiction Alliance of Georgia, partners Emory Healthcare and the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation are celebrating the official opening this week of the Emory Addiction Center. A formal ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Oct. 26.

Looking at the Future of Bipolar: Moods that Swing from Mania to Misery
10/17/22
Experts dive into the two poles of this mood disorder – mania and depression. Bipolar is often misdiagnosed because of the wide range of symptoms.

Looking at the Future of Bipolar: Mood Stabilizers for Highs and Lows
10/17/22
With bipolar disorder, doctors are treating two extremes of highs and lows, and interestingly enough, the oldest mood stabilizer is still the first line of defense.

A Professor Reveals 5 Surprising Facts We Never Knew About PTSD
10/3/22
Last week, Interesting Engineering organized the first Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) with Dr. Sanne J.H. Van Rooij, an assistant professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Georgia's Emory University.

Veteran Deaths by Suicide Decline Over Pandemic as 'Invisible Wounds of War' are Addressed
9/29/22
Air Force veteran Sam Hargrove of Columbus suffered a traumatic brain injury from a bomb explosion while serving in Tallil, Iraq. But she didn't know that until an evaluation by the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program years later.

Adderall Shortage in US Spreads to Two More Drug Suppliers, Impacting Consumer Demand
9/21/22
A growing U.S. shortage of Adderall, a prescription drug taken to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has spread to two more makers of the drug.

VR-Assisted Healing
9/1/22
Exposure therapy is about learning through experience that the thoughts, memories, and situations that one may avoid — such as due to their PTSD — are safe, says Dr. Andrew M. Sherrill.

Is a Fast-Acting Pill for Depression the Holy Grail That Patients Have Been Waiting For?
8/29/22
Andrew Miller, a professor of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in the U.S., told Good Health caution is advisable. ‘It’s a little early to tell, but unfortunately the study and the pharmaceutical industry continue to make the same mistakes: they assume depressed patients are a homogeneous group, which they are not, and that medications should work across all patients, which they don’t.’

Patients with Cancer Should Speak Up About Mental Health Struggles if They Don’t Feel Heard, Expert Says
8/15/22
Patients with cancer who have mental health struggles during treatment should not wait to reach out to their health care providers, according to Dr. Wendy Baer, a psychiatrist at the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta.

Promising Research for Bipolar Treatment
8/15/22
The latest science shines light on gene-targeting drugs, ketamine and transcranial magnetic stimulation.

A Growing Psychiatrist Shortage and an Enormous Demand for Mental Health Services
8/9/22
At Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Brandon Kitay, MD, PhD, hopes to combine access and quality by bringing a mental health app in-house. The digital platform — which Emory is implementing with the help of an external tech company — will capture patient data to monitor need, provide self-directed therapy, and allow providers to offer brief online support, among other services.

This Brain Surgery Shows Potential to Treat Epilepsy, PTSD and Even Fear?
7/29/22
Patient S.M. does not like snakes and spiders, but she can easily handle them. Ask her to walk through a haunted attraction (Waverly Hills Sanatorium, specifically) or sit through reels of scary footage.

Exposure to Racism Linked to Brain Changes That May Affect Health
7/25/22
Experiencing racism can impact both physical and mental health, and with this in mind, researchers from Emory University in Atlanta wanted to find out how this form of discrimination impacts the brain’s microstructures.

Veteran Mental Health Program, Bill Discussed at Emory Brain Health Center
7/11/22
Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) was at Emory's Brain Health Center recently to promote the center's free mental health program for veterans and to announce a bipartisan bill that, if passed, will expand free mental health care to veterans and their families.

Pysch Meds and Fertility Treatments…Are they Safe?
6/29/22
As an infertility organization that supports individuals in every stage of their family-building journeys, we know the emotional roller coaster that potentially awaits. Therefore, we feel passionate about ensuring you, our community, have the information necessary to take control of your mental health.

Emory School of Medicine Welcomes New Leader in Children’s Behavioral and Mental Health
6/24/22
John Constantino, MD, is joining Emory University School of Medicine as a professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Pediatrics. Constantino will serve as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s first system chief of Behavioral and Mental Health, leading efforts to address the growing epidemic of behavioral and mental health issues in children and adolescents in Georgia.

William McDonald Named Chair of Emory’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
6/13/22
William M. McDonald, MD, has been appointed chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine.

Social Activities May Offset Psychosis Risk in Poor Communities
6/6/22
Social engagement such as participation in community or school-based activities may mitigate psychosis risk in susceptible youth living in disadvantaged communities, new research suggests.

Therapy by and for Black Women
6/6/22
The study also confirmed what Negar Fani, lead author on the study and professor at Emory University, has been observing in her career: Trauma does not necessarily lead, as researchers have long accepted, to less ability to pay attention.

Virtual Reality Makes Real Impact: How Emory Healthcare Veterans Program Uses Technology to Heal Invisible Wounds
6/3/22
“Virtual reality” often conjures images of video games and simulations or digital worlds in science fiction stories, but it’s also a tool that can be used in therapy.

When Traditional Antidepressants Fail, Some Depressed Patients Seek Relief with Ketamine
6/1/22
Dr. Boadie Dunlop, the director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at Emory University, said ketamine works differently than medications that target the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Stress, Pandemic Could Spur Road Rage Increase, Researchers Say
5/17/22
Dr. Liza Zwiebach, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, said stressed people are more likely to snap, even at the smallest thing such as being cut off in traffic, honking or a rude gesture.

Inside the Effort to Expand Virtual Reality Treatments for Mental Health
5/6/22
A June 21, 1995, headline on page 11 of the New York Times read: “‘Virtual Reality’ Conquers Fear of Heights.” The article told the story of Chris Klock, a junior at Georgia Tech, who donned a head-mounted display once a week for seven weeks, and was transported to a 3-D environment simulating various altitudes.

A Nurse's Death Raises the Alarm About the Profession's Mental Health Crisis
3/31/22
Most nurses and other frontline health workers worked relentlessly over the past two years, surge after surge, through countless deaths and severe staffing shortages. And now, a majority are struggling with psychiatric symptoms.

Oxytocin: Why the "Love Hormone" Could Lead to New Forms of Therapy
2/27/22
When love is in the air, what’s happening in the brain? For many years, biologists would answer, “Oxytocin!” This small protein — just nine amino acids long — has sometimes been called “the love hormone” because it has been implicated in pair-bonding, maternal care, and other positive, love-like social behaviors.

Parenting During a Pandemic
2/16/22
The pandemic has been stressful for children and families. Some have endured great losses, including the death of a loved one. Fears of getting sick from the virus, or of a family member getting sick, have been ever present.

Oxytocin’s Effects Aren’t Just About Love
2/11/22
“There’s a lot of noise in the brain,” says Larry Young, a behavioral neuroscientist at Emory University who, with coauthor Robert Froemke, explores our new understanding of oxytocin in the 2021 Annual Review of Neuroscience. “But when oxytocin is released, it turns down the static so the signal comes in much more clearly.”

Drug Overdose Suicides Rising Among Young Americans and Seniors
2/2/22
Suicides by drug overdose have increased among teens, young adults and seniors, even as they declined for the overall population, US federal researchers say.

Emory-Georgia Tech Project Studying PTSD Receives FDA Breakthrough Device Designation
1/24/22
Research from a study by Emory University-Georgia Institute of Technology on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tcVNS) has led to a Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the gammaCore nVNS device.

FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation for Device to Treat PTSD
1/14/22
The FDA has granted breakthrough device designation to electroCore Inc. for its gammaCore device to be used in the treatment of PTSD in military personnel, according to a company release.

9 Signs You Need to Break Up with Your Therapist
1/13/22
Breakups are a fact of life. Whether your connection is friendly, romantic or professional, many relationships run their course. But what happens when the person you need to cut ties with is your therapist?