Penn Psychiatry In the News

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2012

Steven Arnold, MD, director of the Penn Memory Center, speaks with HuffPost Live for a segment on the fear of Alzheimer's disease, as a new study shows that it is the disease that Americans fear the most.
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Falk Lohoff, MD, assistant professor of Psychiatry, commented in a WHYY story about the use of genetic testing to help predict better treatment response for anti-depressants.
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David Sarwer, PhD, director of clinical services at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, was interviewed by NBC News about weight gain caused by alcohol consumption. Sarwer also set the record straight on five popular body-image myths in an interview with the Huffington Post.
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Thomas Wadden, PhD, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, spoke with USA Today about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight for overweight individuals with and without diabetes.
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David Yusko, PhD, assistant clinical director at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, commented in a Reuters report about stress that can be caused by hurricanes.
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Mahendra Bhati, MD, assistant professor of Clinical Psychiatry, discusses the facts about seasonal affective disorders (SAD) on PHL17's "Eye Opener."
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Caryn Lerman, PhD and Joseph Kable, PhD of SAS were awarded a $4.9 million grant through the National Cancer Institute, which will allow them to study how the brain’s cognitive control system can be enhanced to improve decision-making processes that contribute to risky behaviors.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, assistant professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, expressed doubts in a Huffington Post article about a new study asserting a direct connection between sleeping positions and psychological characteristics.
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J. Russell Ramsay, PhD, associate professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, commented in a Reuters Health report on a new study that found children with ADHD symptoms tend to fare worse as adults than do kids without problems in school.
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Martin Franklin, PhD, associate professor of Clinical Psychology and director, Child/Adolescent OCD, Tics, Trichotillomania and Anxiety Group (COTTAGe), spoke about treatment for trichotillomania in an ABC News article.
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David Sarwer, PhD, director of the Stunkard Weight Management Program, was interviewed in a 6ABC report about hypnotherapy for weight loss.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, assistant professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, spoke with CNN.com about parasomnias, including sleepwalking and REM behavior disorder.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Penn researchers have received a $3.7 million grant to study how traumatic events in childhood interact with hormonal changes to affect women's mood disorders. The grant will be used to create the Center for the Study of Sex and Gender in Behavioral Health. It will be led by C. Neill Epperson, MD, director, Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, and Tracy L. Bale, PhD, professor of Psychiatry.
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WHYY Radio interviewed David Dinges, PhD, chief, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, about sleep and shift work.
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In a report about sleep, the New York Times mentions research led by David Dinges, PhD, chief, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, which found that letting subjects nap for as little as 24 minutes improved their cognitive performance.
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The federal government intends to allocate $100 million to study the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, reports WHYY. Edna Foa, PhD and colleagues from the Center for the Treatment of Anxiety, have applied for a chunk of the funding from the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, to study the best ways to teach mental health counselors to use prolonged-exposure therapy.
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Alcohol and prescription drug abuse has increased among active members of the military over the course of the past few years, according to a new report released on Monday by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Charles O'Brien, MD, PhD, vice chair, Department of Psychiatry, director, Center for Studies in Addiction, and chair of the IOM committee that wrote the report, told CBS News that substance abuse and addiction in the U.S. military is a public health crisis. Coverage of the report was also featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, TIME magazine, PBS News Hour, US News & World Report, NBCNews.com and WHYY radio.
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David Sarwer, PhD, director of the Stunkard Weight Management Program, commented in CBS 3 story about New York City's ban on sales of big sodas and sugary drinks, explaining that it could be a helpful tool in the war on obesity.

 

David Sarwer, PhD, associate professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and Surgery, talked about body dysmorphic disorder in a Redbook article looking at the latest trends in injectable dermal fillers and why they are so popular with women.
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Michael Perlis, PhD, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, spoke with the Huffington Post about sleep medication and its effects.
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Eating too few calories can create nutrition deficits, Andrea Spivack, MA, RD, LD, a registered dietician with the Stunkard Weight Management Program, said in an article posted on CBSNews.com.
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Charles O'Brien, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Studies of Addiction explained that "addiction changes the brain," in a Philadelphia Inquirer report about addiction treatment.
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The Pennsylvania Gazette examines pioneering work on mental health conducted by Benjamin Rush, a Founding Father and 18th-century Penn faculty member.
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6ABC reports that Aaron T. Beck, MD, emeritus professor, Department of Psychiatry, was awarded the Prince Mahidol Award for "exemplary contributions in the field of medicine." The award is bestowed by the Thai Royal Family for outstanding achievements in medicine and public health worldwide.
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Steven Berkowitz, MD, associate professor of Clinical Psychiatry, commented in a Philadelphia Magazine report about the prominence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Philadelphia's poorest neighborhoods as a result of the gun crisis.
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Mathias Basner, MD, assistant professor of Sleep and Chronobiology in Psychiatry, answered the Health Magazine question: How much sleep do we really need to stay healthy?.
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Kelly Allison, PhD, assistant professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and co-director of Education at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorder, was interviewed in an NBCNews.com report about celebrity weight loss.
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Kyle Kampman, MD, medical director at the Charles O'Brien Center for Addiction Treatment, spoke about the prescription-opiate epidemic in a Philadelphia Daily News article.
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In an article on CNN.com, Charles O'Brien, MD, PhD, vice chair and professor of Psychiatry and director of the Charles O’Brien Center for Addiction Treatment, answers questions about “gaming addiction.”
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David Sarwer, PhD, director of the Stunkard Weight Management Program, explained on WRTI Radio that a pace of one to two pounds per weeks sustained over time is the healthiest way to lose weight.
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James Coyne, PhD was quoted in a Reuters article about a new study suggesting that women with ovarian cancer may have somewhat better survival odds when they feel emotionally supported by family and friends.
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In the wake of the shootings in Colorado, David Yusko, Psy.D, clinical director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety spoke with NBCNews.com about how the event may impact children.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM was interviewed by the Huffington Post about a wake-promoting drug used to treat certain sleep disorders like narcolepsy that is also being used by some without the sleep disorder to keep them alert and attentive.
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Thomas Wadden, PhD, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, spoke with USA Today about a new prescription diet drug approved the government that is expected to help heavy patients drop about 10 percent of their weight.
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Steven Arnold, MD, director of the Penn Memory Center and professor of Neurology and Psychiatry, tells ABCNews.com that a new study of people with Familial Alzheimer's disease shows that "you can detect differences in the brain...25 years before they actually are predicted to have symptoms."
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In an interview with NPR affiliate WHYY Radio, Anthony Rostain, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and medical director of Adult Developmental Disorders, talked about self-care tools for ADHD.
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J. Russell Ramsay, PhD, associate professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, told Reuters Health that kids' trouble in school is usually one of the top reasons parents seek help for their ADHD.
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Thomas Wadden, PhD was interviewed by USA Today about the new recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force stating that physicians should screen all adult patients for obesity during office visits and either refer obese patients to comprehensive weight-management programs or offer them one.
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Steven F. Huege, MD, assistant professor of Geriatric Psychiatry spoke in an ABCNews.com report about strategically located brain tumors and migraines that lead to aphasia, which is an impairment of language ability marked by a difficulty in getting words out.
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In an interview with MetroKids magazine, Martin Franklin, PhD, associate professor of Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry, talked about treating children who have the urge to pull out their hair, a disorder which falls under the broad spectrum of OCD called trichotillomania.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, assistant professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry spoke with the Huffington Post about a new kind of sleeping pill, called suvorexant, that was shown to be effective at helping people fall -- and stay -- asleep in clinical trials.
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In a first of its kind study in the U.S., researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, led by Andrew A. Strasser, PhD, have shown that the addition of graphic warning labels on cigarette packaging can improve smokers' recall of the warning and health risks associated with smoking.
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In an interview with NBC Nightly News, Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, assistant professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, helped describe the importance of a new study linking lack of sleep and stroke in people of healthy weight.
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C. Neill Epperson, MD, director, Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, was interviewed by NPR affiliate WHYY in a segment discussing premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a condition that may be included in the upcoming new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
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Raquel Gur, MD, PhD, professor of Psychiatry, told the Philadelphia Inquirer only a minority of people with schizophrenia have a propensity to violence.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, clinical director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, spoke with the Huffington Post about treatment for sleepwalking and other parasomnias.
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David S. Metzger, PhD, director, HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Division, was interviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer about a rapid home test for HIV being considered by a federal advisory committee.
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CBS 3 reports that researchers at Penn Medicine, led by C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn Center for Women's Behavioral, are testing a medication commonly used to treat ADHD for menopausal women struggling with memory and focus."
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David Mandell, ScD, associate director of the Center for Mental Health Policy & Services at Penn, spoke with NPR’s Marketplace about the impact proposed changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual may have on services available to those diagnosed with autism.
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Charles O'Brien, MD, PhD, vice chair, Department of Psychiatry, discussed misconceptions about addiction with WHYY radio in an article regarding a recent theatrical performance exploring issues around addiction.
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Mahendra Bhati, MD, assistant professor of Clinical Psychiatry, was interviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding the American Psychiatric Association’s overhaul of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the guidebook to mental maladies and a key factor in determining insurance payments.
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David Sarwer, PhD, associate professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, spoke with 6ABC about body dismorphic disorder (BDD) and the idea of "tanorexia" or tanning addiction.
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In this year’s Philadelphia magazine Top Doctors issue, Penn Medicine again has the most Top Docs of any hospital or health system in the region, with a total of 193 Penn Medicine physicians on the 2012 Top Doctors list. The magazine also highlights several different research initiatives and programs from Penn Medicine, including work by Karl Rickels, MD.
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NBC 10 reports on a breakthrough pilot study by the Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness. Deborah Kim, MD, assistant professor of Psychiatry, is treating depressed moms-to-be with TMS -- transcranial magnetic stimulation.
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In an installment of a series on aging in the Delaware Valley called "Gray Matters: New Tools for Growing Older" from the WHYY Health and Science Desk, Steven Arnold, MD says he tells his patients, "What's good for your heart is good for your head." Arnold, who heads the Penn Memory Center, says a healthy diet and physical exercise are crucial for healthy brains.
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In a recent Journal of Neuroscience paper, the lab of Olivier Berton, PhD, assistant professor of Psychiatry, shows how a regulator of glucocorticoid receptors may provide a path towards resilience to stress by modulating glucocorticoid signaling in the brain.
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In an interview with Discovery Channel’s program "The Daily Planet," David Dinges, PhD, chief, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology in the Department of Psychiatry, and associate director of the Penn Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology, discusses the consequences of sleep loss and circadian misalignment. Dr. Dinges also spoke with BusinessWeek about power-napping to make up for lost sleep.
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David Sarwer, PhD, director of the Stunkard Weight Management Program was interviewed by NBC10 about gluten free diets as a means of weight loss.
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Michael Thase, MD, professor of Psychiatry, was interviewed by MSNBC.com regarding a new study published in Translational Psychiatry, suggesting that a blood test may in the future be a way for doctors to screen children for clinical depression.
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C. Neill Epperson, MD comments in a Philadelphia Inquirer report on a condition labeled “broken heart syndrome.” Its symptoms mimic those of a heart attack, but they are not caused by blood clots or clogged arteries. The culprits are stress and anxiety.
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Gregory Brown, PhD, professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry, has developed an intervention to help prepare patients who are suicidal or have attempted suicide for future crises, WHYY/NPR reports.
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The Philadelphia Tribune reports that researchers from Penn Medicine, including principal investigator John B. Jemmott, PhD, have received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study novel approaches to preventing chronic diseases in HIV-positive African-American men.
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Daniel Langleben, MD, associate professor of Psychiatry, is quoted in a Discovery Magazine blog discussing the future of using brain scanners for lie detection testing.
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Steven Arnold, MD, professor of Neurology and Psychiatry and director of the Penn Memory Center, tells the Philadelphia Inquirer that diabetics are 50 to 100 percent more likely to get the fatal, memory-destroying Alzheimer’s disease.
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The New York Times cited a 2010 study by Steven Berkowitz, MD that reviewed a therapy program, called the Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention, which was used to treat traumatized children.
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David Sarwer, PhD, associate professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and Surgery comments in an AARP blog article, which reports that there has been a big increase in those 65 and over getting their sags and wrinkles nipped, tucked and smoothed.
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WHYY radio reports that autism costs the US $126 billion each year, according to a new study released by the advocacy organization Autism Speaks, co-authored by David Mandell, ScD, associate director of the Center for Mental Health Policy & Services.
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Perelman School of Medicine researchers received a $2 million grant from the NIH to study novel approaches to preventing chronic disease in HIV-positive African-American men. The study, as reported by the Philadelphia Business Journal, will be led by John B. Jemmott, PhD, professor of Communication in Psychiatry.
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Insulin resistance in the brain precedes and contributes to cognitive decline above and beyond other known causes of Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, including senior author, Steven Arnold, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Neurology.
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A new study by Perelman School of Medicine researchers, including senior author David Mandell, ScD, highlights the unique financial burden faced by families of children with autism, an article on MSNBC.com reports. Coverage of the new research is also featured on ABCNews.com, CNN.com, Reuters, the Huffington Post, CBSNews.com, WebMD.com, WashingtonPost.com, and MedPageToday.com.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, clinical director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, was featured in an ABC News report discussing insomnia.
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The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has ranked second among the nation's research-oriented medical schools, according to the annual survey by U.S. News & World Report. This marks the 15th consecutive year that the School of Medicine has ranked as one of the top five medical schools in the United States.
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In an interview with WHYY/NPR radio, David Dinges, PhD, chief of the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, commented on the results of a recent survey of transportation workers, which found that fatigue is common and affects their ability to do their job.
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Aaron T. Beck, MD, professor emeritus of Psychiatry at Penn, points out multiple levels of displacement in phobias, in a New York Times article about specific phobias.
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The Palm Beach Daily News quoted C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, in an article discussing the psychological effects of urinary incontinence and strategies to treat the problem.
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David Mandell, ScD, associate professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, was interviewed by the Associated Press in a report on the delay in autism diagnosis in minority children.
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ABCNews.com features a video interview by C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, discussing the connection between migraines and depression in women.
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Thomas Wadden, PhD commented in a Philadelphia Inquirer report about the FDA's recommendation to approve the diet drug Qnexa, which is a combination of two existing drugs, the appetite suppressant phentermine and the anti-seizure medication topiramate.
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Penn Medicine researchers, led by Michael A. Grandner, PhD, analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to find out which states had the most sleep disturbances and daytime fatigue. Coverage of the new research is featured in the Huffington Post, US News & World Report and various broadcast outlets across the country.
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Thomas Wadden, PhD, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, was interviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer about weight loss and the effectiveness of dieting.
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In an interview with FOX 29, C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, explains that a variety of physical and emotional factors can contribute to a low sexual desire in women.
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J. Russell Ramsay, PhD, assistant professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and co-director of the Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, spoke with Prevention magazine about the symptoms of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
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CBS's "60 Minutes" spoke with Michael Thase, MD, a professor of Psychiatry, in a story investigating antidepressants and the placebo effect.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, clinical director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, spoke with the Huffington Post about sleep compatibility problems experienced by cohabitating adults.
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Thomas Wadden, PhD spoke with the Philadelphia Inquirer about a new Comcast-UnitedHealth program that will offer customers at risk of developing diabetes a chance to participate in a scientific study, which uses a reality show on its Video on Demand service as well as Internet and telephone monitoring and coaching.
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WHYY radio reports on a new survey, led by David Mandell, ScD, associate director, Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, that has shed light on the needs for services for the 30,000 children and adults affected by autism in Pennsylvania.
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Research by David F. Dinges, PhD, chief, Division of Sleep and Chronobiology, is highlighted in a Wall Street Journal report about sleep research.
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David Yusko, PhD, clinical director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, commented in a TODAY.com report on the difficulties women face in reporting an assault and the ongoing traumatic symptoms following an assault.
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MedpageToday reports on new research from Penn, led by Michael A. Grandner, PhD and Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, that showed difficulty falling or staying asleep or sleeping too much was associated with heightened cardiometabolic risk.
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In a MSNBC.com article, Michael Thase, MD, professor of Psychiatry, commented on a new analysis of past studies showing that people with mild depression may benefit from taking antidepressants.

 

David Mandell, ScD, associate professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, was quoted in an Orlando Sentinel report about a local resident who is autistic and uses running to help manage his symptoms.
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People who suffer from sleep disturbances are at major risk for obesity, diabetes, and coronary artery disease, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, led by Michael A. Grandner, PhD and Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, clinical director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program spoke about the treatment of insomnia in an interview with ABCNews.com.
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David Sarwer, PhD, associate professor in Psychiatry, was interviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding patient expectations for cosmetic surgery and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
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Michael Perlis, PhD, associate professor of Psychiatry and director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, and James Findley, PhD,  senior staff psychologist with the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, were featured experts in an ABC World News Tonight report on the treatment of insomnia.
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Henry Kranzler, MD, professor of Psychiatry, was interviewed by Science News regarding a new study showing that alcohol can cause a release of feel-good endorphins in the brain and their effect on humans.
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Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, clinical director of the Penn Medicine Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, talks to the Huffington Post about the many strange sleep phenomena that happen in between stages of wake and sleep.
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Andrea Spivack, MA, RD, LD, a registered dietician with the Stunkard Weight Management Program, tells WHYY Radio why people should eat vegetables.
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According to researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, led by Sheri Volger, MS, RD, LDN, project manager at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, the use of "undesireable terms", such as "fatness" or "obesity" may offend or distress some patients and prevent them from continuing to discuss their weight.
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Steven Arnold, MD, Penn Memory Center Director and professor of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, talks with ABC News about normal age-related cognitive decline and the difference from disease-related cognitive impairment.
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