Penn Psychiatry in the News 2015

Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Sleep and Chronobiology in Psychiatry, was quoted in U.S. News and World Report on how to mimimize sleep-disturbing sounds.


Anna Rose Childress, PhD, a research professor of Psychology in the department of Psychiatry and a researcher with the Center for Studies on Addiction, was interviewed by Radiolab on the growing use of pharmacologics for the treatment of addiction.


The Sleepless Situation: You slept in this morning (and took an afternoon nap). First things first: Are you trying to go to sleep at your normal bedtime? That's a mistake, said Michael Perlis, PhD, an associate professor of Medicine and director of Penn’s Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program.


The Philadelphia Inquirer tackled the topic of food addition as it relates to holiday eating and overeating. Kelly Allison, PhD,an associate professor of psychology in Penn's Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, commented on the effects of an 'all or nothing' eating plan and suggests a 'weight maintenance' approach versus a 'weight loss' plan during the holidays.


A Penn sleep medicine study led by senior author Michael Perlis, PhD, an associate professor in Penn’s department of Psychiatry and director of the Penn Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, found that taking less than the standard amount of Ambien may be as effective as a maintenance dose for insomnia.


The number of seniors with substance abuse problems is expected to double in the United States within the next five years. “The truth is elders and substance abuse just hasn’t been thought about enough, but it’s a real growing problem,” David Oslin, MD, a professor of Psychiatry, told Healthline.


Charles O'Brien, MD, PhD, founder of the Center for the Studies of Addiction, was interviewed on Radio Times about the heroin epidemic in Pennsylvania, which ranks first in the nation for drug overdose deaths among young men ages 19 to 25.


The more light you expose yourself to in the morning, the easier waking up will be, Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, an assistant professor of Psychology in the department of Psychiatry, explained in Shape


Ellen Berman, MD, a clinical professor of Psychiatry and founder of Penn's Center for Couples and Adult Families, was interviewed on Radio Times on the subject of families and money.


New research shows that people who possess a particular genetic variation are more prone to rash or aggressive behavior when drinking even a small amount of alcohol than those without the mutation. "Fifty to sixty percent of the risk of alcohol dependence is attributable to genetic factors in the population,” Henry Kranzler, MD, professor of and director of the Center for Studies of Addiction, told Yahoo Health. But when it comes to explaining reckless behavior under the influence, “it’s not a matter of being an alcoholic, it’s a matter of being intoxicated.”


In continuing coverage, CBSNews.com interviewed Steve Berkowitz, MD, director of the Center for Youth and Family Trauma Response and Recovery about the psychiatric repercussions of the Paris attacks. "We know in the early days after something like this, the most important thing is social support. And that's kind of complicated because the PTSD reaction is to withdrawal and isolate... friends and family need to be present and available, even if it's just quietly so."


Before the advent of electricity people often slept in two distinct sections, the first starting shortly after sundown, according to some historians, ABC News reports. The article quotes Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, an assistant professor of psychology in the department of Psychiatry. 


Steven Berkowitz, MD, director of the Penn Center for Youth and Family Trauma Response and Recovery was interviewed by "Every Classroom Matters," a podcast for teachers about the recent violence in Paris.


Michael Perlis, PhD, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program was quoted in an article on Inc. about how to sleep better. 


David Dinges, PhD was quoted in an article discussing environmental factors that disrupt sleep in children and vulnerable populations.


Steve Berkowitz, MD, director of the Penn Center for Youth and Family Trauma Response and Recovery, offered the following advice to the Associated Press on how much to share with children and how to talk about violence in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris: He said to watch or read the news with older children and ask them open-ended questions about their thoughts; and to not let children younger than six watch TV coverage. This story was picked up by several news outlets.


Steve Berkowitz, MD, director of the Penn Center for Youth and Family Trauma Response and Recovery, commented to the Philadelphia Inquirer on the two young children who found the bodies of two newborn babies last weekend in a North Philadelphia lot. "For a kid to come across a dead body is terrifying. It's essential that they are assessed and that they get the support they need," Berkowitz told the paper.


Modern day usage of electronic devices may be costing you sleep. “It’s the blue-green portion of the light that is the worst,”Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, an assistant professor of psychology in the department of Psychiatry, tells Yahoo! Health.


Namni Goel, PhD, a research associate professor of psychology in Psychiatry, and Ilene Rosen, MD, MD, MSCE, an associate professor of clinical medicine and program director of the Penn Sleep Fellowship, are featured in a ABC News article about the effects of sleep deprivation.


The Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, CA is eliminating staff as the center moves toward more individualized and less regimented treatment programs, a national trend. Henry Kranzler, MD, director of the Center for the Studies of Addiction, speculates that Hazelden was getting rid of its lesser trained treatment staff. “I suspect that now with health-care reimbursements, they need to be more efficient,” Kranzler told the Desert Sun.


Even after two kinds of medication have failed, a type of psychosocial therapy can make a big dent in symptoms for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), said Penn researchers in a new study. Senior author Edna Foa, PhD, professor of clinical psychology in Psychiatry, told Philly.com that “if you have a choice between taking risperidone and doing exposure and response prevention, you are better off doing exposure and response prevention. You are more likely to improve, but also you don’t have the side effects that risperidone has.” 


C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, Jeanmarie Perrone, MD, a professor of Emergency Medicine, and Philip Hanno, MD, a professor of Urology, are featured in a Philadelphia Magazine article on Flibanserin. The controversial drug was approved earlier this year to treat hypoactive sexual desire in women.


A recent Penn Medicine and Penn Nursing study in the journal Sleep shows that lead exposure in early childhood is associated with increased risk for sleep problems and excessive daytime sleepiness in later childhood. David F. Dinges, PhD, professor and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, and senior author of the study, was quoted in the International Business Times and Tech Times.


Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can improve their symptoms significantly by adding exposure and response prevention therapy to their treatment regimen when common drug treatment options have failed, according to new research from psychiatrists at the Perelman School of Medicine. The study is published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.Carmen McLean, PhD, an assistant professor of clinical psychology in the department of Psychiatry at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at Penn, served as the study's lead author.


Charles O'Brien, M.D., Ph.D. was quoted in The Atlantic, commenting on the notion of Internet addiction. “The fact that we have treatment programs doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s really an addiction,” Dr. O’Brien, founding director of the Center for Studies of Addiction, told the publication.


The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) has awarded funding to C.Neill Epperson, M.D., professor of Psychiatry, and Tracy Bale, Ph.D., professor of Neuroscience in Psychiatry to lead a career development program for junior investigators interested in pursuing women's health and sex differences research. 


The hearing voices movement argues that taking psychotic voices seriously and developing a relationship with them can help people with serious mental illnesses have fulfilling lives. Paul Grant, PhD, research assistant professor of psychology in the department of Psychiatry, said only about 20 percent of patients respond well to antipsychotic medicines. Many continue to hear voices after treatment. The hearing voices movement, he said, has done those patients a "world of service" by helping them feel less alone, he told the Philadelphia Inquirer.


Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM was quoted in several media outlets on the effects of Daylight Saving Time and the effects it has on the body.


Research over the years has shown that people can be physically and psychologically damaged from not getting enough sleep,David F. Dinges, PhD, professor and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, says in a Live Science article.


Penn Medicine psychiatrists were recently awarded the American Psychiatric Association’s Psychiatric Services Achievement Bronze Award for the Supporting Seniors receiving treatment and Intervention (SUSTAIN), a partner program with the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (DoA) to support elderly, low-income Pennsylvanians in managing their mental health care.David Oslin, MD, professor of Psychiatry, is quoted in the news release.


The secret to getting better sleep may be to purposefully get less of it, at least for a time. Chronic behavioral therapy for insomnia can include turning off electronic devices about an hour before sleep or going to bed and getting up at the same time every day, but also may involve sleep restriction. Michael Perlis, PhD, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, is quoted in the New York magazine “Science of Us” blog post.


About one in five Americans over the age of 65 have an addiction or mental health issue — and there aren't enough psychiatrists to treat them. Schizophrenia was long described as a mental illness that was diagnosed only in young people. But the new psychiatric diagnostic manual no longer has age-related criteria for schizophrenia. "Doing away with a separation between older and younger levels the playing field," Daniel Weintraub, MD, an associate professor of Psychiatry told WHYY radio. "It increases the likelihood that older patients with psychotic disorders will get help."


In a study published in Current Biology, scientists recorded the sleeping patterns of three pre-industrial, hunter-gatherer societies in three different environments in Africa and South America. These peoples slept on 6.4 hours on average. David F. Dinges, PhD, professor and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology is hesitant to apply the study’s findings to people in Western society. “We can say absolutely that less than six hours of sleep is problematic in industrial societies,” Dinges says. “I don’t think this study is a radical challenge to the sleep need but an added piece of data to show that sleep may be manageable even if you’re a little short, in the six to seven range.” This study was outlined in Newsweek.


Following celebrity Hayden Panettiere's recent announcement that she has been battling postpartum depression since giving birth last December, Fox29 spoke with C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, about how common the illness is for postpartum women, treatment options and the importance of understanding the signs and symptoms.


Wall Street Journal article explores ongoing research from David F. Dinges, PhD, professor and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, Namni Goel, PhD, research associate professor of psychology in Psychiatry, and colleagues at the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory at Penn Medicine.


Penn sleep researchers David F. Dinges, PhD, professor and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, and Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, Msc, assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in the department of Psychiatry, are evaluating the in-flight use of a comprehensive battery of computerized tests to measure mental abilities of astronauts during spaceflight, according to a NASA.gov article.


Elizabeth Turk-Karan, PhD, a psychotherapist at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) penned an Opinion piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer in recognition of OCD Awareness Week. The CTSA has been conducting research on treatment of OCD for the past 30 years and along with its director, Edna Foa, PhD, is internationally known for its expertise.


Face-to-face interaction can act as a sort of "vitamin" for depression prevention, according to a story on TodayMichael Thase, MD, professor of Psychiatry, was quoted in the article.


C. Neill Epperson, MD, professor of Psychiatry, was quoted with NBC News, discussing what helps women avoid hot flashes while going through menopause.


Namni Goel, PhD, research associate professor of psychology in Psychiatry told PhillyVoice that naps are helpful for staying productive past the mid-day slump, but the issue is not quite as black and white as taking a nap or not taking a nap.


Sarah B. Mathews, MD, assistant professor of Clinical Psychiatry commented in a Boston Globe article about the use of herbal supplements. 


Michael Thase, MD, professor of Psychiatry, discussed transcranial magnetic stimulation in an article in the Scranton Times-Tribune. “Studies looking at TMS show the relatively new treatment is typically accompanied by a “rich-care scenario” where patients are getting a lot of attention from their doctors — and most likely other treatments — which could skew statistics," said Dr. Thase.


Patricia Inacker, LCSW, CCDP, director of operations for Hall-Mercer and clinical associate of Psychiatry, was featured on 6abc.com to discuss Hall-Mercer's preparations for Pope Francis' visit to Philadelphia.


Deborah Kim, MD, assistant professor of Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, was quoted in a Huffington Post article about antidepressants and pregnancy.


Henry Kranzler, MD, professor of Psychiatry and director of the Center for Studies of Addiction is participating in a study to test the genetic database of 200,000 veterans in the VA's Million Veterans Program. Dr. Kranzler will be studying genetic risk factors for chronic use of alcohol, tobacco, and opioids, and is working with colleagues at the VA Connecticut Healthcare system and Yale School of Medicine.


According to David Yusko, PsyD, counseling psychologist in the Center for Treatment of Anxiety, when speaking about PTSD, "Instead of healing over time, the mind becomes locked into new patterns of avoidance and vigilance. The nightmares and flashbacks don't go away." Dr. Yusko was quoted in an article about PTSD.


Caryn Lerman, PhD, professor of psychology in Psychiatry, recently conducted a study around brain training and addictive behaviors. Dr. Lerman was featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer.


David Dinges, PhD, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, commented on the new medication Modafinil and was quoted in Men's Journal.


Patients with combat-related PTSD who also had obstructive sleep apnea demonstrated worsened sleep-related symptoms and quality of life compared with patients without sleep apnea and healthy controls, according to study results in the journal Chest. “Providers who treat patients with military personnel with PTSD should make it a priority to at least ask their patients about sleep problems and ideally would use brief, validated screening measures such as those used in this study,” said Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, an assistant professor of psychology in the department of Psychiatry, in a Healio Pulmonology article.


Daniel Weintraub, MD, associate professor of Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, is studying the psychiatric and cognitive complications of Parkinson's Disease. His team was recently quoted in an article describing their latest study.


Mary Anne Layden, PhD, assistant professor of clinical psychology in Psychiatry, was interviewed in the Philadelphia Daily News about the pervasiveness of pornography in today's culture.


U.S. News & World Report quoted David Sarwer, PhD, professor of psychology in Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, on the potential relationship between breast reconstruction and mental health issues.


Michael Perlis, PhD, associate professor of psychology in Psychiatry, recently commented in an article entitled, "Is insomnia actually bad for you?" Dr. Perlis was quoted on nbcphiladelphia.com.


Penn Medicine research from David Dinges, PhD, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology and colleagues showed that sleep deprived may not be able to "catch up" on the weekend. Dr. Dinges was featured in the Wall Street Journal.


Rinad Beidas, PhD, assistant professor of psychology in Psychiatry, was recently honored with the President's New Researcher Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). This award is given anually to a young researcher whose early research reflects independent work published in high-impact journals, the promise of theoretical or practical applications that represent clear advances to the field, and a consistency with the mission of ABCT.


Raquel Gur, MD, PhD, Karl and Linda Rickels Professor of Psychiatry, and Ruben Gur, PhD, professor of psychology in Psychiatry, were recently highlighted on msn.com in an article featuring their brain-scan study, which discussed whether there are differences between the brains of men and women.


Brexpiprazole, an antipsychotic drug approved this summer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is an effective and well-tolerated addition to conventional first-line antidepressants for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), according to research from psychiatrists in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaMichael Thase, MD, professor of Psychiatry, was the lead author on this study.


Caryn Lerman, PhD, professor of psychology in Psychiatry, has received the National Cancer Institute Outstanding Investigator Award.


Kelly Allison, PhD, associate professsor of psychology in Psychiatry at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, was recently quoted in several media outlets about the effects of late-night eating on a person's weight gain.


Paul Crits-Christoph, PhD, professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, and lead author Karin Rhodes, MD, MS, associate professor B of Psychiatry, recently published the results of their study in an issue of JAMA.This study was a large randomized clinical trial of an Emergency Department-based program aimed at reducing incidents of excessive drinking and partner violence in women.


David Dinges, PhD, chief of Sleep and Chronobiology, was part of a committee who found that seven hours of sleep per night promotes optimal health in healthy adults.


Edna Foa, PhD, professor of clinical psychology in Psychiatry, was recently awarded the American Psychological Association Distinguished Scientific Contributions Award for her contribution to the theory and clinical practice of psychology, specifically the research and treatment of anxiety disorders.


Robert Garfield, MD, clinical assistant professor of Psychiatry, was featured in Chestnut Hill Local to discuss his new book, Breaking the Male Code; Unlocking the Power of Friendship: Overcoming Male Isolation for a Longer, Happier Life.


Michael Perlis, PhD, associate professor in Psychiatry and director of the Penn Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program, was quoted about his research regarding the clinical effects of sleeping pills.


A team of researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, including Matthew Kayser, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of Psychiatry, used fruitflies to probe deeper into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern aggression and sleep. 


Anthony Rostain, MD, a professor of Psychiatry, was quoted in a New York Times article on campus suicides. He was co-chairman of Penn's task force on student psychological health and welfare.


Michael Blank, PhD, an associate professor in Psychiatry and co-director of the Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center, was quoted in a Reuters Health story on a new study that found increased risks going both ways between diagnoses of HIV and schizophrenia.


Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, Msc, an associate professor of sleep and chronobiology, is interviewed by SiriusXM’s Knowledge@Wharton radio program about recent sleep research, including how sleep deprivation affects neurobehavioral function and physiology of the human body.


Penn Medicine hospitals have once again been ranked among the top 10 hospitals in the nation, and #1 in Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia metro area by U.S. News & World Report, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Business Journal.


MetroKids reports on the parenting classes available across the region to help provide the skills necessary to give children the most nurturing environment possible and link parents to valuable information, resources and other parents for support. Jeanne Frantz, a child development specialist and director of the Hall-Mercer Child and Parent Center at PAH, discusses the many classes available at Pennsylvania Hospital.  


Raquel Gur, MD, PhD, director of Neuropsychiatry Section in the department of Psychiatry served as a witness for the defense in the case of James Holmes, who carried out the deadly 2012 shooting in a Colorado movie theater. 


David F. Dinges, PhD, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, was quoted in a Freakonomics story which mentioned numerous sleep trials at Penn Medicine that delved into sleep deprivation and physical health and cognitive performance.


Charles O'Brien, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Studies in Addiction, was quoted in the Philadelphia Inquirer about former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb’s most recent DUI arrest, his second in 18 months, and the danger of frequent DUIs.


Michael E. Thase, MD, director, Mood and Anxiety Program, was quoted in a Medscape article reporting that the FDA has approved brexpiprazole for adults with schizophrenia and as an adjunctive therapy to antidepressant medication in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). 


Mary Anne Layden, PhD, director of education at the Center for Cognitive Therapy, was quoted in a USA Today article exploring whether pornography may be at the root of sexual exploitation. 


New Yorker article references a study by David F. Dinges, PhD, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, and colleagues that found that adults can recover from relatively short bouts of sleep loss—but recovery from truly chronic sleep deprivation relies on the quality of sleep you are getting. Dr. Dinges was also mentioned in a Business Insider article about chronic insomnia.


David F. Dinges, PhD, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, commented in a Readers Digest report on Penn Medicine research which found that just three consecutive nights of four to five hours of sleep could lead to irreversible brain cell damage. 


A new meta-analysis provides further evidence supporting cognitive-behavior therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) when the difficulty sleeping occurs with another medical or psychiatric condition, according to a recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The Medscape article references an accompanying editorial authored by Michael A. Grandner, PhD,instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, and Michael L. Perlis, PhD, director of the Penn Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program.


A segment from CBS3 reports on new research from Penn Medicine, led by C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, which found that a drug commonly used to treat ADHD can also help improve cognitive issues related to menopause.


Examiner reports on a study led by Michael Grandner, PhD, an instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, that pinpointed specific exercises that can lead to experiencing better sleep.


Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, Msc, an assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in the department of Psychiatry discusses sleep in a Huffington Post Q and A, including his research on the effects of sleep loss on neurobehavioral and cognitive functions, sleep time and waking activities, and how to achieve better sleep.


Business Standard reported on a study, led by Tracy Bale, PhD, professor of Neuroscience in Psychiatry, which shows that stress during the first trimester of pregnancy alters the population of microbes living in a mother's vagina and impact the babies' gut microbiome and brain development.


Healio.com reports on Penn Medicine research, led by David F. Dinges, PhD, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, finding that people who avoid consuming food late at night may reduce the risk for concentration and alertness deficits that accompany sleep deprivation.


David Sarwer, PhD, professor of Psychology and director of clinical services at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, commented in a HealthDay article about a new study suggesting that couples who view the weight-loss surgery of one partner as a joint effort often say they feel closer as a result.


Research led by Tracy Bale, PhD, professor of Neuroscience in Psychiatry, found that prenatal stress alters the mother’s vaginal microbiome, affecting newborn brain development. 


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, was quoted in the Huffington Post about the effect of physical activity on sleep.


The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on three new Penn Medicine studies presented at the annual meeting of Associated Professional Sleep Societies, known as SLEEP. Two studies suggest sleep deprivation and food are a bad combination for your brain and your waistline and a third Penn study examined the relationship between different types of exercise and sleep quality.


Eating less late at night may help curb the concentration and alertness deficits that accompany sleep deprivation, according to results of a new study from David F. Dinges, PhD, director of the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry and chief of the division of Sleep and Chronobiology; Namni Goel, PhD, a research associate professor of psychology in Psychiatry and the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry; and Andrea Spaeth, PhD, postdoctoral fellow in the Unit for Experimental Psychiatry, division of Sleep and Chronobiology. This research was highlighted in many media outlets.


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, was quoted in a HealthDay article about research suggesting that sedative sleeping pills such as Ambien can nearly double the risk for car accidents among new users compared with non-users. Dr. Grandner was also mentioned in a MedPage Today story about the relationship between social media and sleep.


David S. Mandell, ScD, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research, weighs in on overcoming the stigma of mental health in the workplace in a Knowledge@Wharton article.


According to a study led by C. Neill Epperson, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology and director of the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, women experiencing difficulty with time management, attention, organization, memory, and problem solving – often referred to as executive functions – related to menopause may find improvement with a drug already being used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 


Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, Msc, an assistant professor of Sleep and Chronobiology in the department of Psychiatry, spoke with Reuters Health about the non-auditory effects of noise. 


Caryn Lerman, PhD, a professor of Psychiatry and deputy director of Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center, was featured in a Philadelphia Inquirer story talking about her ongoing study investigating brain games, backed by a $2 million National Cancer Institute grant. Also quoted in the piece is Dawn Mechanic-Hamilton, PhD, clinical director of the Cognitive Fitness Program in the Penn Memory Center, who has used a brain game in her work with adults with mild cognitive impairment.


David Sarwer, PhD, a professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, was quoted in an article from the Philly Voice discussing causes, symptoms, and management of body dysmorphic disorder, a psychiatric condition that causes people to see themselves as ugly or deformed despite looking normal to the outside world. 


Physical activities, such as walking, as well as aerobics/calisthenics, biking, gardening, golfing, running, weight-lifting, and yoga/Pilates are associated with better sleep habits, compared to no activity, according to a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine led by Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry.


Eating less late at night may help curb the concentration and alertness deficits that accompany sleep deprivation, according to results of a new study from researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine, including David F. Dinges, PhDNamni Goel, PhD, and Andrea Spaeth, PhD.


Lancaster General Health has unveiled several new initiatives since announcing final plans to become part of Penn Medicine, Lancaster Online reports. Behavioral health care is a major area of need in Lancaster County, said Lancaster General Health CEO Tom Beeman. Beeman added that Penn Medicine has a respected program in that field and so will prove a valuable partner in that, as well as other areas.


Grandparents.com referenced a Penn Medicine study suggesting that roseroot may be a good alternative to conventional antidepressants for some patients.


Philip Gehrman, PhD, an assistant professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, and Michael Grandner, PhD, an instructor in Psychiatry and a member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, share insights from some of their research at the intersection of sleep and mental illness in the Philadelphia Inquirer.


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in psychiatry and a member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, commented in a Health magazine article looking at solutions aimed at helping someone achieve quality slumber. 


Steven Berkowitz, MD, director of the Penn Center for Youth and Family Trauma Response and Recovery was quoted in a New York Times article on youth suicides on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, often a result of sexual assault or molestation. 


David Yusko, PsyD, clinical director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, spoke to the Philadelphia Inquirer about PTSD and the psychological impact that the Amtrak crash may have on survivors.


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in psychiatry and a member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, was interviewed in a Pocono Record article about the blue light from LEDs and its effect on the body’s circadian rhythms.


Michael Grandner, PhD, a psychiatry instructor and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, was quoted in a U.S. News & World Report article looking at hypersomnia, or excessive daytime sleepiness despite clocking ​ample sleep at night. Dr. Grandner also spoke with Men's Health about taking the perfect nap.


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in psychiatry and a member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, was featured in a WHYY Radio report about how caffeine affects how people sleep. 


Heavy drinking among Americans rose 17.2 percent between 2005 and 2012, according to a study published recently in the American Journal of Public Health and the increases are driven largely by women. Charles O'Brien, MD, PhD, professor of Psychiatry and founding director of the Center for Studies of Addiction, spoke to the Philadelphia Inquirer about these findings.


Ruben Gur, PhD, professor of Neuropsychology and director of the Brain Behavior Lab, discussed cutting-edge research on the brain development of young adults with the Boston Herald. “In a developing brain, there’s one system that deals with reasoning and one system that deals with planning and decision-making. Those two systems don’t get connected until three decades into life.”


Anthony L Rostain, MD, professor of psychiatry and pediatrics, commented in Medscape Medical News on research suggesting that measuring neural activity in language-sensitive brain regions of toddlers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may help identify those who go on to have poor language outcomes.


Yvette Sheline, MD, director of the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, was interviewed by WHYY radio about an ongoing study suggesting that there may be a connection between depression and inflammation in the peripheral blood and the brain.


In a story in Parents magazine on childhood anxiety, Rinad Beidas, PhD, assistant professor of Psychology in the department of Psychiatry, tells the magazine, "It's unlikely that a child will outgrow an anxiety disorder. When it's left untreated, the child will have a higher risk of substance abuse later."


Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MSc, assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in Psychiatry, commented in a New York Times report about the relationship between work and short sleep.


Michael Grandner, PhD, a psychiatry instructor and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, was quoted in Woman’s Day about the effectiveness of sleep medications.


WHYY radio reports that only about half of those with depression respond to anti-depressant medications. Researchers, led byYvette Sheline, MD, director of the Center for Neuromodulation in Depression and Stress, are trying to improve those odds by better understanding the mechanisms that cause this illness.


David Sarwer, PhD, professor of Psychology in the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, spoke with the Philadelphia Inquirer about the importance of setting realistic expectations for gastric bypass surgery.


Michael A. Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, addressed a common myth about taking sleeping pills in an OWN article about sleep deprivation.


The Daily Pennsylvanian reports on work by Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MSc, assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in Psychiatry, David F. Dinges, PhD, professor and chief, division of Sleep and Chronobiology, department of Psychiatry, andRuben Gur, PhD, professor of Psychology, director of Neuropsychology, to study how cognition is affected by prolonged spaceflight.


Kelly Allison, PhD, director of Clinical Services at the Penn Center for Weight and Eating Disorders spoke with FOX 29 about binge eating, which is now recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as a true medical condition. 


J. Russell Ramsay, PhD, associate professor of Clinical Psychology in the department of Psychiatry and co-director of the Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program, was heard on WHYY's Voices in the Family discussing ADHD and the latest research and treatment in the care of adults and children with the disease.


Fast Company article references a recent Penn Medicine sleep and work study that suggests the main activity to which Americans sacrifice sleep is paid work.


Yvette Sheline, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, talked to HealthDay News about research suggesting that a single serving of leafy green vegetables each day may help keep dementia away.


A new study suggests that anything more than eight hours in the sack could increase your risk of an early death, the Huffington Post reports. Michael A. Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, and Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, associate director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program offer advice on ways to improve sleep.


Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MSc, assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in Psychiatry, was quoted in a USA Today article about an astronaut set to make history for the longest stay in space.


An Elite Daily article discusses a Penn sleep study that found sufficient quality sleep is vital for mental and physical performance and those lacking sleep are often unable to perceive how impaired they are.


Deb Kim, MD, chief of the Perinatal Division at the Penn Center for Women's Behavioral Wellness, was quoted in an article from the Delaware News-Journal about mom-and-baby yoga classes as a way of helping new moms regain balance in their lives.


Astronaut Scott Kelly is about to take off for the International Space Station. While he is in space, Penn Medicine researchers, including Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MScRuben Gur, PhD, and David F. Dinges, PhD, will compare his mental performance with that of his identical twin, Mark, who will stay behind on Earth.


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, spoke with Yahoo! Health about how getting a good night’s sleep depends on what you do during the day, especially in the hours before you crawl into bed.


Yvette Sheline, MD, professor of psychiatry, radiology and neurology, was interviewed by NBCNews about the importance of encouraging African Americans and Hispanics to sign up for clinical trials through the Brain Health Registry.


NASA Space Station Live interviewed Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MSc, assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in Psychiatry, on his work on a study looking at how spaceflight can impact cognitive performance in astronauts.


New York magazine’s "Science of Us" blog rounds up interesting sleep research, including two Penn Medicine sleep studies. The first found that those who are sleep-deprived may not realize how sleep deprived they are. The second study referenced in the post found that people who had earlier start times for work and school tended to get less sleep. 


Philadelphia Inquirer story on the recent death of a Delaware County 8th grader quoted Anthony Rostain, MD, MA, professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics. Rostain told the Inquirer, teenagers can easily be "overwhelmed by negative emotions" and have trouble seeing the future when the present looks bleak.


Ahead of World Sleep Day on Friday, Mint reports on a round-up of research that shows how the amount and quality of sleep can impact health. The article references a Penn Medicine studying finding that skipping just a single night of sleep leads to a shift in brain activity, which sparks a desire to consume not just more calories, but also more fat the next day.


The Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the 18th year in a row. According to the annual medical school survey in U.S. News & World Report's "Best Graduate Schools" report, Penn Medicine is ranked #5 in the country. 


In recognition of Sleep Awareness Week 2015 and Daylight Saving Time, Neurology Advisor looks at new updates on sleep duration guidelines from the National Sleep Foundation. "These recommendations will hopefully remind people that just like diet and physical activity, getting the right amount of sleep is something that everyone should be considering as part of staying healthy,” said Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology. Dr. Grandner was also quoted in a Time article discussing Daylight Saving Time and spoke with Reuters about research suggesting naps might help improve health.


Courtney Benjamin Wolk, PhD, a postdoctoral researcher, spoke to PsychCentral about research suggesting that when Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is successful in reducing childhood anxiety, it also conveys considerable benefits years after the treatment. 


The Huffington Post mentions recent Penn research which found that a single night of poor sleep can lead to increased cravings for fatty foods the following day as part of a story on how sleep deprivation could be negatively affecting your health.


Yvette Sheline, MD, professor of Psychiatry, Radiology and Neurology, commented in a HealthDay article about research suggesting brain plaque buildup, long linked to the onset of Alzheimer's disease, has been identified in the brains of men and women as young as 20.


Hengyi Rao, PhD, assistant professor of Cognitive Neuroimaging in Neurology and Psychiatry within the division of Sleep and Chronobiology, talked to HealthDay about research suggesting that skipping a single night of sleep leads to a shift in brain activity that seems to spark a desire to consume more fat the following day.


Namni Goel, PhD, research associate professor of psychology in Psychiatry, discussed ways to combat jet lag in an interview with Lucky.


Caryn Lerman, PhD, a professor of Psychiatry and deputy director of the Abramson Cancer Center, commented in a Reuters report about nicotine treatments aimed at helping smokers quit gradually.


A new multi-institution study, led by Rinad Beidas, PhD, assistant professor of Psychology in the department of Psychiatry, has found that an organization’s culture and climate are better predictors of the use of evidence-based practices than an individual therapist’s characteristics in the treatment of children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders.


C. Neill Epperson, MD, director of the Penn's Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness, commented in a New York Times article about research investigating hot flashes caused by menopause.


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, spoke with the Huffington Post UK about sleep deprivation and snoring.


Sleep deprivation super-charges the brain's "salience network," which connects sensory stimuli — like high-fat foods that look and smell delectable — to signals of pleasure, which ultimately guide your behavior, according to Penn research led by Hengyi Rao, PhD, research assistant professor of Cognitive Neuroimaging in Neurology and Psychiatry.


An Entrepreneur article referenced a Penn Medicine sleep study in which groups of people who received either four, six or eight hours of sleep were tested on several tasks. They found that cognitive performance continuously declined for the four- and six-hour groups, depending on the amount of sleep.


Philip Gehrman, PhD, CBSM, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and member of the Penn Sleep Center, discussed the relationship between sleep and the immune system in a Yahoo! Health interview.


In a Philadelphia Inquirer article about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), Michael Thase, MD, professor of Psychiatry, cautions against evening light therapy.


Jacqueline Hudak, PhD, LMFT, clinical director of the Center for Couples and Adult Families, spoke with the AARP Bulletinin an article about ways to keep a marriage strong and fall back in love.


Anthony Rostain, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, spoke with Medscape about research suggesting developmental changes in symptom severity and adaptive functioning differ significantly among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).


WebMD article about the differences and similarities between binge eating and night eating disorders includes comments from Kelly Allison, PhD, associate professor of Psychology and director of clinical services at the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders.


Edna Foa, PhD, director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, was interviewed by the Washington Post about PTSD as the trial of the shooter who took the life of “American Sniper” Chris Kyle, approaches. 


In an article about employees who overwork, Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MSc, assistant professor of Sleep and Chronobiology in Psychiatry continuing coverage, told CNBC that employees are trading sleep for work. 


An article in Elle magazine talked about the use of prolonged exposure therapy, developed by Edna Foa, PhD, professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry and director of the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, for use in patients with PTSD resulting from rape or military service.


Marcel Bonn-Miller, PhD, adjunct assistant professor of Psychology in the department of Psychiatry recently received a $7.6 million grant from the state of Colorado to investigate the effects of marijuana on PTSD, the Daily Pennsylvanian reports.


Philip Gehrman, PhD, assistant professor in Psychiatry, is featured in a Philly.com article on why sleep is vital to human health and how to obtain a better night's sleep.


Felicia Greenfield, LCSW, associate director for clinical and research operations at the Penn Memory Center, and Anjan Chatterjee, MD, professor of neurology, were quoted in a PhillyVoice article about art therapy for Alzheimer's patients.


In continuing coverage, BBC World Service Radio covered a Penn Medicine study, led by Caryn Lerman, PhD, a professor of Psychiatry and deputy director of the Abramson Cancer Center, that found the most-suited treatment for smokers may depend on how quickly they metabolize the nicotine in their body after quitting.


Anthony Rostain, MD, professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and medical director for the Adult Developmental Disorders section shares traits in adults that may be signs of ADHD in Men’s Health magazine. 


Sleep patterns – and, on the flip side, waking up habits – are “highly trainable, for good or for bad,” says Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, in US News and World Report.


Henry Kranzler, MD, director of the Center for Studies of Addiction, was recognized with the Dan Anderson Research Award from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. The award is given to a researcher or team that works in the area of addiction treatment and recovery. 


Time reports on Penn Medicine studies led by Namni Goel, PhD, research associate professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, and Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MSc, assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in Psychiatry, in an article about ways your job may be harming your health.


Steven Arnold, MD, director of the Penn Memory Center, and Jason Karlawish, MD, professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Health Policy, were quoted in a Philadelphia Inquirer article about Alzeheimer's research volunteers.


Michael Grandner, PhD, professor of psychiatry and a member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, spoke with Live by Daily Burn about snoring and sleep apnea. Dr. Grandner was also interviewed in a Psychology Today article about the body's internal chronobiological clock.


Aaron Beck, MD, emeritus professor of Psychiatry, was on the NPR podcast, Invisibilia. Beck discussed the tenets of cognitive behavior therapy, a revolutionary form of therapy he discovered, based on the idea that a person's thoughts or a certain subsets thereof shouldn't be taken so seriously.


Several news outlets, including the Huffington Post and HealthDay News, covered a new Penn Medicine study, led by Caryn Lerman, PhD, a professor of Psychiatry and deputy director of the Abramson Cancer Center, that found the most-suited treatment for smokers may depend on how quickly they metabolize the nicotine in their body after quitting. ABC7 in New York, the Washington Post, the New York Daily News, Medical Daily, BBC News, WHYY, CTV News, Yahoo! News, the Daily Mail, and the Irish Examiner also covered the study.


Tracy Bale, PhD, a professor of neuroscience in psychiatry, discussed the microbiome-brain connection in a LiveScience.com article.


Thomas A. Wadden, PhD, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, and Matthew R. Hayes, PhD, assistant professor of Psychiatry, spoke with the Philadelphia Inquirer about Saxenda, a drug recently approved by the FDA for weight loss.


NPR’s All Things Considered reported on a study from Caryn Lerman, PhD, a professor of Psychiatry and deputy director of the Abramson Cancer Center, that found measuring neural activity in smokers’ brains helped predict who would successfully quit or fail more than 80 percent of the time.


Philadelphia Inquirer article about medications for the treatment of alcohol abuse, cites Penn Medicine research, which found the epilepsy drug topiramate helped heavy drinkers cut back.


Felicia Greenfield, LCSW, associate director of the Penn Memory Center, was quoted in a Philadelphia Tribune article about the Penn Memory Center's efforts to combat Alzheimer’s disease in the African-American community.


Michael Grandner, PhD, instructor in Psychiatry and member of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, was interviewed in Outside magazine, about recovering from a late night race.


Inc. reports on a study led by Mathias Basner, MD, PhD, MSc, assistant professor of sleep and chronobiology in Psychiatry, which suggests that pushing back work start times could help combat chronic sleep loss.


The Philadelphia Inquirer reported on a study from Caryn Lerman, PhD, a professor of Psychiatry and deputy director of the Abramson Cancer Center, that found smokers who relapsed within seven days had specific disruptions in the brain’s working memory system after they quit. 


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