News from the Department

Can the “five S’s” used to calm fussy babies also help grown-ups snooze? A reporter finds out. Clete Kushida, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article

Addiction specialist Keith Humphreys, the Esther Ting Memorial Professor and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, explains how the pandemic has affected three factors driving substance use — cues, comfort and convenience.

This "We're Momming Today" show features Keith Humphreys, the Esther Ting Memorial Professor and a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. In this episode, the future "return to normal" thanks to vaccinations, is discussed - along with a possible period of epic "withdrawal" for many kids who spent the good part of a year glued to their screens and devices. What does that look like? And what can parents do to mitigate the impact?

Dr. Malik Badri was a pioneer of modern Islamic approaches to psychology who influenced countless students in the field, through whom his legacy lives on. Rania Awaad, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, shares her thoughts on his legacy in this opinion piece for TRT World.

Mental health experts say the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on well-being could be felt even after vaccinations are more accessible. Here are some tips to take care of yourself. Allison Thompson, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the United States more than a year ago, the number of people in need of mental health services has surged. But many say that they are languishing on waiting lists, making call after call only to be turned away, with affordable options tough to find. Providers, who have long been in short supply, are stretched thin. Amy Alexander, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

A lot has been written about how technology has allowed us to feel closer to people outside our quarantine bubbles during the pandemic. But a number of people are also finding that texting and other chat tools can help create some much-needed distance from their loved ones under the same roof. Elias Aboujaoude, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

The Sloan Research Fellowships program recognizes “researchers whose creativity, innovation and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of scientific leaders." The eight Stanford recipients this year, which includes Shaul Druckmann, assistant professor of neurobiology and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, are among 128 U.S. and Canadian researchers who will receive a two-year, $75,000 fellowship to be used as they wish to further their research.

The medical community is quickly growing to both realize and accept the potential of psychedelic therapies for the successful treatment of physical trauma. The results of one study are being closely watched as early indications saw tremendous potential for physical and mental trauma that was resistant to more conventional treatments. The study is being conducted by Nolan Williams, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and is being supported by Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS).

We all know a good night’s sleep can make a world of difference, but you may not realize just how integral sleep is to your overall health—or that there is a whole field of medicine devoted to the subject. Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is interviewed in this podcast episode.

Customized electrical stimuli that are sent to the brain without surgery can alleviate obsessive-compulsive disorder for up to three months. This is what US researchers from Boston University write in the journal “Nature Medicine”. Carolyn Rodriguez, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is mentioned in this article.

As the lockdown had started earlier back in the month of March, group chats used were a lifeline for many. Now, why do some people feel burnt out and overwhelmed by group chats? Elias Aboujaoude, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

In an Instagram Live, Ocasio-Cortez revealed that she is a survivor of sexual assault and what happened to her during the Capitol riots. Advocates and experts say this could help other trauma survivors who suffer in silence. Debra Kaysen, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

This press release provides an overview of the findings from a nearly eight-year study, led by Allan Reiss, Howard C. Robbins Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and professor of radiology, and colleagues at Nemours Children’s Health System, that compared brain scans of young children who have T1D with those of non-diabetic children to assess the extent to which glycemic exposure may adversely affect the developing brain.

Amit Etkin, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment in this article on seasonal affective disorder — a type of major depression with a distinct seasonal onset, typically in winter.

Jared Tinklenberg, professor emeritus of psychiatry and behavioral science, a leader in Alzheimer’s disease research and a mentor to many, died Nov. 18 at the age of 80.

In an Instagram Live, Ocasio-Cortez revealed that she is a sexual assault survivor, which compounded the trauma she experienced during the Capitol riots. Advocates and experts say speaking out could help other trauma survivors who suffer in silence. Debra Kaysen, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Researchers here have assembled a working model of the human nerve-cell circuit responsible for voluntary movement. Senior author Sergiu Pasca, the Bonnie Uytengsu and Family Director of the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program, is quoted in this piece from ALS News Today.

COVID-19 has limited access to specific medical treatments for those who struggle from severe depression, such as electroconvulsive therapy, but scientists are looking into a new accelerated treatment that might be easier and safer to deliver. Nolan Williams, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

This cover story in "Sleep Review" features Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. The story discusses his career, his new book, and how he proudly lives the legacy of his mentor, the "Father of Sleep Medicine" William Dement.

Frequency of alcohol consumption rose by 14 percent for adults 30 and older during the early months of the pandemic, according to a study published in September 2020 in JAMA Network Open. Keith Humphreys, the Esther Ting Memorial Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment in this piece on sobriety.

Chances are you’ve never heard of this proven coping method—but you’re probably already practicing it. It’s called skills for psychological recovery (or psychological “first aid”), and it includes things like social support and mindfulness. The goal is to help people learn to cope with stress in the weeks or months after a traumatic event or disaster. Debra Kaysen, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this blog post.

Regulators will soon grapple with how to safely administer powerful psychedelics for treating depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Robert Malenka, Nancy Friend Pritzker professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article about the likelihood that some psychedelic drugs will eventually earn approval as treatments for certain conditions.

Following recommendations from their parents, a new generation of students is benefiting from the insights of the late Stanford sleep science pioneer William Dement. Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this post.

In marginalized populations, the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing issues while presenting new challenges. For people who use drugs (PWUD), illicit drug use behaviors may become even riskier due to COVID-related circumstances, adding to the burden of infectious disease and overdose risk. Anna Lembke, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is interviewed in this article.

Are your kids on the phone all the time? Is it difficult to get their attention? They may be “tech junkies”. Millions of people, including some children, are stranded in their homes during this pandemic. So how much technology is too much, and when should a parent step in? Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Whether you’re currently recovering from COVID-19 or you just want to get your sleep hygiene back on track after staring at screens for 12 hours, read on for tips to get more quality z’s in the time of corona. The COVID-19 Q&A on Sleep with Rachel Manber, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is featured in this article.

This article features the latest book from Daniel Mason, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. "A Registry of My Passage upon the Earth: Stories" is a collection of nine short stories, many based on real people, probe the connections between art and science, madness and genius.

Many are sharing on social media that they’re sleeping better and breathing easier after the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Nina Vasan, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

This article discusses the connection between diet and mental health. Sarah Adler, clinical associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Sleep is critical to our health. But for many of us, a restorative night’s slumber is another casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic at the very time we all need it the most. Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is featured in this article on how to get better sleep.

Stuck at home in lockdown, and with limited access to mental health services, people are turning to chatbots for company, advice and even friendship. Adam Miner, instructor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment on chatbots, AI, and therapy in this article.

Nina Vasan, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, joins GP to talk about the long-tail mental health impacts of disasters and how trauma sometimes strengthens one’s resiliency. They talk about why addressing mental health can—and should—be part of our daily life.

It seems that animals dream, based on similar sleep patterns in humans. The work of Philippe Mourrain, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is featured in this article.

Two dozen thinkers offer bold ideas for a new administration in this feature piece. Nina Vasan, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, co-authors the section on mental health.

Merging 3D clusters of neurons that mimic different brain regions models the atypical electrical activity seen in an autism-related condition. Sergiu Pasca, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is featured in this article.

It might be tempting to curl up on the couch for a nap, but you can do better for your tired body and mind. Here's what sleep researchers recommend. This piece discusses the science of naps and quotes Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

The Trump administration introduced new addiction treatment guidelines last week that give physicians more flexibility to prescribe a drug to patients struggling with opioid addiction. Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, was interviewed during this segment.

This article discusses how sleep apps can be convenient, practical, and effective, tools for getting a good night’s rest. Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment.

Eating disorders have surged in the Bay Area during the coronavirus pandemic. Here’s why, and how to seek help. Debra Safer, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

A California community deeply impacted by youth suicide is building models to support young people. This story is part of "Lifelines: Preventing Youth Suicide," a Rocky Mountain PBS project exploring stories of hope and prevention. This Rocky Mountain PBS special covers how two communities found solutions when faced with teen suicide clusters. The work of Drs. Shashank Joshi and Steven Adelsheim, and Vicki Harrison, program director of the Stanford Center for Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing, and allcove youth advisors is featured throughout.

Nearly a year into the coronavirus pandemic, parents across the country — and the world — are watching their children slide down an increasingly slippery path into an all-consuming digital life. When the outbreak hit, many parents relaxed restrictions on screens as a stopgap way to keep frustrated, restless children entertained and engaged. Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

K12 Climate Action, an initiative of the Aspen Institute, convened educators from Florida, California and the U.S. Virgin Islands to identify needs and opportunities to support schools across the country in adapting to the impacts of climate change and building their resilience. By sharing the work that they have achieved in their communities, the speakers offered tactics that can be considered across the United States to better help schools prepare for the reality of climate change and the impact it will have on students, teachers and communities. Victor Carrion, John A. Turner M.D. Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

A study published January 8 in Science has found that the brain circuits engaged during empathetic behaviors in mice differ depending on the emotion they are experiencing. These results also show, for the first time, that observing a neighbor having its pain alleviated can make a mouse’s own pain more tolerable. Robert Malenka, Pritzker Professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

Bipolar disorder is often misdiagnosed, and many misperceptions about the disorder remain. Po Wang, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

Heavy alcohol consumption during adolescence appeared associated with deleterious effects on white matter microstructural integrity, according to results of a case-control study published in JAMA Psychiatry. Qingyu Zhao, research scientist and co-author of the paper, is featured in this article.

This segment discussed how the UK edition of Cosmopolitan magazine is redefining the meaning of healthy by highlighting women on the cover who are journeys toward health. Sarah Adler, clinical associate professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is featured.

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on our mental health, including our ability to focus and be productive. In May 2020, the SHADAC COVID-19 Survey found that 90.4 percent of U.S. adults felt additional levels of stress specifically caused by the pandemic. Francesco Dandekar and Ripal Shah, both clinical assistant professors of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provide comment in this article.

Remember the day the sky turned orange? Across the Bay Area Sept. 9, the sun disappeared, temperatures dropped, and it got dark—really dark. Streetlights came on at midday. The world took on a burnt orange hue. It was strange and unsettling, and on top of a global pandemic, economic fallout, social unrest, political division, and raging wildfires, it made some people wonder: What next? Mickey Trockel, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

In 2020, contributing editor Paul Costello’s top podcasts reflect the challenges of the coronavirus and other timely health care issues. Episodes featuring department faculty members Keith Humphreys, Anna Lembke, and Rafael Pelayo are on the list.

The pandemic seems to have accelerated the attention towards mental health issues at workplaces, going by the number of expert columns that appear in media today. It has been gaining attention ever since the World Economic Forum featured mental health as a global challenge last year. A paper that includes published data from a number of studies relating mood disorders such as anxiety and depression to particular dysfunctions in brain circuitry as identified by neuroimaging, co-authored by Leanne Williams, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is mentioned in this article.

Use the start of the year as an opportunity to create new routines that will energize you, elevate your performance, and remove stress from your workday. Nina Vasan, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

Previous research links physician burnout to depression and suicide, but a recent investigation presents a more complicated picture. In adjusted models, depression was associated with 202% increased odds of suicidal ideation. Conversely, in terms of patient care consequences, an opposite pattern emerges; each increase in burnout was associated with self-reported medical errors whereas depression was not in models accounting for both, says the study, “Association of Physician Burnout With Suicidal Ideation and Medical Errors,” published in JAMA Network Open. This article features Nikitha Menon and colleagues - authors of the study.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian has recognized two Stanford Medicine physicians for their contributions this year to the local community. Yvonne Maldonado, professor of pediatrics and of epidemiology and population health, and Steven Adelsheim, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, were awarded supervisor’s medals by Simitian for advancing the wellbeing of county residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why and when students-athletes use social media, rather than how much, has a greater influence on their mental health, according to one of the first wide-scale surveys of social media engagement and well-being in college athletes. Kelli Moran-Miller, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and co-investigator on the study, is quoted in this article.

Do you twitch as you fall asleep? If the answer is 'yes' you're not alone. In fact, some sleep experts have spoken about why so many people experience it. Rafael Pelayo, clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

There are health effects from missing only one night of sleep. Inverse spoke to the experts about whether it is possible to miss a night of sleep safely. Andrea Goldstein-Piekarski, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

A Stanford Medicine team used human stem cells to assemble a working nerve circuit connecting brain tissue to muscle tissue. The research could enable scientists to better understand neurological disorders that affect movement. Sergiu Pasca, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and the team at the Stanford Brain Organogenesis Program, are featured in this article.

After being inspired by a Stanford course, four graduates teamed up to tackle important deficiencies in mental healthcare while expanding access and reducing costs. Ronald Albucher, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, provides comment in this article.

Depression, but not burnout, appears to be associated with greater suicidal ideation in U.S. physicians, according to a study in JAMA Network Open. In contrast, burnout, but not depression, was associated with self-reported medical errors. “Approximately 1 in 10 medical students, 1 in 4 interns, and 1 in 16 practicing physicians report some degree of suicidal ideation,” wrote senior author Mickey T. Trockel, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. “Addressing physician well-being and reducing suicide risk require understanding the associations between physician distress, including burnout and depression, and personal and professional outcomes.”

Meal composition and timing can have an impact on cognitive performance and energy during overnight shifts for medical residents. Maryam Makowski, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

Sleep deprivation in physicians is linked to serious medical errors that result in patient harm. Even moderate sleep loss raises the risk by 53%, new research suggests. A survey of staff physicians and trainees show that the level of sleep-related impairment was high overall and was higher among trainees. The highest rate was among surgical residents and fellows. The results send an important message to the medical profession as a whole about the need for changes in training. Study investigator Mickey Trockel, clinical associate professor of psychiatric and behavioral sciences, is quoted in this article.

A new molecular probe from Stanford University could help reveal how our brains think and remember. This tool, called Fast Light and Calcium-Regulated Expression or FLiCRE (pronounced “flicker”), can be sent inside any cell to perform a variety of research tasks, including tagging, recording and controlling cellular functions. Karl Deisseroth, D. H. Chen Professor of bioengineering and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is mentioned in this article.

The physical and emotional demands of caring for a loved one demonstrate a deep commitment, and can be a very rewarding. It is also extremely stressful. In this podcast, Dolores Gallagher-Thompson, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, emerita, and Amy Yotopoulos, senior manager of the Stanford Caregiver Center, discuss the importance of caring for yourself, so you can care for others.

Oxytocin, which is known to promote bonding between mother and child, is also an essential pillar for social bonds. This article reviews a study, published in Nature, that showed that oxytocin contributes to the pleasure felt during social interactions. Robert Malenka, Nancy Friend Pritzker professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, is quoted.