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...

Rohan Ganguli, MD recently was recognized for his 40 years of service at UPMC. Dr. Ganguli is Chair, Department of Psychiatry, Mercy Hospital; Medical Director, Evaluation and Recovery Center, Mercy Hospital; and Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh. He has remained with the institution since completing his psychiatry residency training at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC). UPMC Mercy...

Register today and join us for the Symposium on Imaging the Aging Brain which will take place at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) on October 10, 2018. The Department and the University of Pittsburgh will host the event in WPIC’s second-floor auditorium from noon to 5:00 pm. William Klunk, MD, PhD, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology and Levidow-Pittsburgh Foundation Chair in Alzheimer...

Our Department’s NIMH Center for Translational Mental Health Research’s Undergraduate Research Program offers young scientists a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on, cutting edge neuroscience research under the mentorship of highly successful clinical and basic neuroscientists in the Department of Psychiatry. Eleven undergraduates participated in the 10-week summer program this year, many of whom will continue...

Carla Mazefsky, PhD, along with Paul Pilkonis, PhD and other colleagues recently published an article, “The Emotion Dysregulation Inventory: Psychometric Properties and Item Response Theory Calibration in an Autism Spectrum Disorder Sample,” in Autism Research. Dr. Mazefsky answers some pertinent questions regarding the study below. 1. What was the goal of your research? Poor emotion regulation, defined as...

Hector Colon Rivera, MD, has been named President of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Hispanic Caucus. This position represents an unparalleled window of opportunities to support mental health treatment, growth, and development of proactive policies in today’s challenging health system for Hispanic and Latinos patients, first responders, and physicians. Dr. Colon Rivera is an attending telemedicine...