SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH PROGRAM

Outpatient Psychiatry Division (Director: Jerrold F. Rosenbaum, M.D.),

Massachusetts General Hospital and Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center

Donald Goff, M.D. (Program Director), David Henderson, M.D., A. Eden Evins, M.D., Corinne Cather, Ph.D., Oliver Freudenreich, M.D., Robert Gould, Ph.D., Michael Otto, Ph.D., Stephan Heckers, M.D. (Director of Schizophrenia Neuroimaging), Dara Manoach, Ph.D., Gina Kuperberg, M.D., Anthony Weiss, M.D., Laura Kunkel, M.D., Daphne Holt, M.D., Ph.D.,.Richard O'Sullivan, M.D.,;

The Schizophrenia Research Program emphasizes translational research, applying recent advances in the neurosciences and related fields to improve care for individuals with schizophrenia. The research is organized intofive inter-related programs: Clinical Trials focuses on novel treatments for refractory symptoms in chronic patients and includes glutamatergic agents (D-cycloserine, glycine, D-serine and ampakines), nicotinic and muscarinic cholinergic agents, and cognitive behavioral therapy. The Neuroimaging Program, under the direction of Stephan Heckers, applies new cognitive activation paradigms and new imaging technology to the study of schizophrenia patients. The Wellness Program studies and develops treatments for cigarette smoking and antipsychotic-associated weight gain, diabetes, and elevated prolactin. The Genetics Program has compiled an extensive clinical database along with DNA samples to allow examination of clinical correlates of genetic variants. A First Episode Program is currently being developed to broaden the scope of therapeutic, neuroimaging and genetic studies.

Keywords. Antipsychotics, glutamate, NMDA, cognitive behavioral therapy, wellness, neuroimaging

Grant Support. NIMH (6 K awards and 2 R01s), Stanley Foundation, NARSAD, and Investigator-initiated industry sponsored trials.

Project Sites. Freedom Trail Clinic, Erich Lindemann Mental Health Center, Psychopharmacology Clinic, Adult Inpatient Psychiatric Unit and Mallincroft General Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Boston Veterans' Affairs Outpatient Clinic.

Program Director. Donald C. Goff, M.D., Freedom Trail Clinic, 25 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114. Tel. No. (617) 912-7899 FAX. (617) 723-3919, email: goff@psych.mgh.harvard.edu

Training Opportunities. An elective clinical rotation is available for PGY3 residents and a research elective for PGY-4 residents. Research fellowships are also offered in psychopharmacology and in cognitive behavioral therapy.

Representative Publications.

Goff, D., et al., A placebo-controlled trial of D-cycloserine added to conventional neuroleptics in patients with schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psych, 1999. 56: p. 21-27.

Goff, D.C. and J.T. Coyle, The emerging role of glutamate in the pathophysiology and treatment of schizophrenia. Am J Psychiatry, 2001. 158: p. 1367-1377.

Henderson, D., et al., Clozapine, diabetes mellitus, weight gain, and lipid abnormalities: A five year naturalistic study. Am J Psychiatry, 2000. 157: p. 975-981.

Heckers, S., et al., Functional imaging of memory retrieval in deficit vs nondeficit schizophrenia. Archives General Psychiatry, 1999. 56: p. 1117-1123.

Evins, A.E., et al., A pilot trial of bupropion added to cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking cessation in schizophrenia. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, in press.

Gould, R.A., et al., Cognitive therapy for psychosis in schizophrenia: an effect size analysis. Schiz Res, 2001. 48: p. 335-342.