BrainStorms 2021 Fall Edition by University of Miami Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Fall 2021 The publication of the University of Miami Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

In This Issue

2 4 6 8 10 12

Welcoming the New Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program to the Department Directed by Dr. Girardin Jean-Louis, foremost sleep expert, the program will focus on sleep science research, training, and community empowerment.

Empty Nest Syndrome Can Cause Sense of Loss, Anxiety Felicia Gould, Psy.D., offers ways to help parents cope with their college-aged kids leaving home.

NIH Taps Dr. Rosie Curiel Cid as Standing Member of Its Clinical Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration Study Section The prestigious appointment recognizes those considered authorities and active scientists in the fields of study.

Inside the Miami VA: The Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service What it's like working with one of the most under-served populations.

Clinical Trials The latest studies we’re recruiting for and how you can help advance science in mental and behavioral health.

Grants, Awards, and Published Research Recognizing our faculty's recent achievements.

A Message from the Chair Dear Friends, Many of you are likely back at work or have children back in school, and we hope your return to offices and classrooms has been safe and everyone is remaining healthy. As the transition to the new normal of living with COVID-19 continues, it is only natural to feel some concerns or anxiety about reintegrating into your workplace, school, or other public areas. In addition to maintaining our physical health, mental health is of the utmost importance, perhaps now more than ever. If reintegration begins to cause worrisome or unmanageable emotions that affect everyday functioning, please remember to reach out for help. There are resources and tools available to make this time less daunting. This month, I am thrilled to welcome Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D., Director of our new Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) Program (p.2). Dr. Jean-Louis is one of the world’s leading experts in this field, and the Program will examine how interventions aimed at better sleep quality can improve the health of minority populations that are disproportionately affected by sleep related problems. Dr. Jean-Louis received a National Institute of Aging Career Leadership Award to develop the program, and we are immensely grateful he chose UM as its home. We also welcome the other outstanding faculty joining Dr. Jean-Louis, including Azizi Seixas, Ph.D., associate director of the TSCS Program; Judite Blanc, Ph.D., research assistant professor; and Arlener Turner, Ph.D., assistant professor. I’m also delighted to welcome Daniel Maass, M.D., assistant professor, who will be working in our outpatient, Consultation/Liaison and medical education programs; Dhruti Patel, M.D., assistant professor, who is trained in addiction psychiatry, Vanessa Feliciano, Psy.D., assistant professor; and Jenevieve Treiser, M.D., who will be working at the UM Counseling Center. As we begin to implement our strategic plan for the future of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

by developing subspecialty-based programs that expand opportunities for specialized treatment, new research, and training and education, equal emphasis must be placed on building a well-rounded faculty with complementary expertise. It’s a very exciting time for our department! Finally, November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. Alzheimer’s has become a global health priority. In the U.S. alone, it currently affects more than 6 million people; worldwide, an estimated 50 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Experts at our Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging and the 1Florida ADRC are working tirelessly to find and develop new tools and therapies to combat this devastating disease, for which there is not yet a cure. You can help by sharing information like the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease (p.12), spreading the word about ongoing research studies, and especially by participating in clinical trials (p.11). Sincerely,

Barbara

1 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

New Miller School Program Focused on Leading Sleep Science Research, Training, Community Empowerment Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D., one of the world’s leading experts on advancing the science and practice of sleep and circadian sciences, will direct the new Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The former professor of Population Health and Psychiatry at NYU Langone Health recently received a National Institute of Aging Career Leadership Award to develop the program. He said he chose the Miller School as the program’s home for a few reasons. “The Miller School’s groundbreaking work on the role of African ancestry and dementia is crucial to delineating the effects of poor sleep and circadian disorganization in added risks for cardiovascular disease and brain injury. The Miller School also stood out for its outstanding leadership of investigators in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia research; development of novel integrative therapeutics to forestall the onset of dementia or ameliorate its symptomatology; and access to a diverse population and community health champions,” Dr. Jean-Louis said. Translational sleep and circadian sciences focus on investigating how sleep deficiencies and circadian misalignment, or a misalignment of the body’s internal clock, impact development of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and other chronic health problems. Translational sciences “translate” information learned in the laboratory to patient care in the clinic and populations in the community. The new Miller School program will look specifically at how interventions aimed at better sleep quality can improve the health of minority populations that are disproportionately affected by problems associated with sleep. The new focus on translational sleep and circadian sciences at the Miller School is timely and representative of medicine’s future, according to Henri R. Ford, M.D., M.H.A., dean and chief academic officer of the Miller School. “The pandemic has highlighted the importance of mental health and wellness, and the sleep sciences are vital to both,” Dr. Ford said. “Personalized, multi-dimensional and inclusive care will be the hallmark of American

2 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

medicine in the not too distant future. The Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) program checks all those boxes, adding an important dimension of care to not only the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences but also influencing so many other specialties.” Dr. Barbara J. Coffey, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, added, “We are absolutely delighted and honored that Dr. Jean-Louis has chosen to bring his innovative program to the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. This program will not only advance translational science, future clinical care and address health care disparities, but will also accelerate new collaborations among our Department faculty and our colleagues in Neurology, Sleep Medicine, Pulmonology, Public Health Sciences and other medical specialties.” The Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program has three pillars: research, training, and community engagement and empowerment, according to Dr. Jean-Louis. left to right: Clarence Earl Locklear, Arlener Turner, Girardin Jean-Louis, Tocarra Ware, Kaitlin Hahn, Crystal Vidal, not pictured: Judite Blanc, assistant research professor

“Our goals include developing and testing solutionfocused interventions to reduce risks of cardiovascular and brain injury of Alzheimer’s disease type through a better understanding of the role of sleep disruption and circadian misalignment,” Dr. Jean-Louis said. “They also include training and mentoring new generations of sleep and circadian scientists, including under-represented minority investigators, to achieve the national mandate to achieve health equity in all U.S. communities. And we will reach out to Dade County’s multicultural communities to learn from them about health issues plaguing their respective communities and assist them as they address their specific health needs.” Dr. Jean-Louis has authored more than 375 publications in literature focused on sleep and cardiometabolic diseases, circadian rhythm, aging, and health equity. He has been involved in many National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded studies and will continue his work at the Miller School as director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)-funded ‘Program to Increase Diversity in Behavioral Medicine and Sleep Disorders Research (PRIDE) Summer Institute’ and the T32 ‘Program on Translational Behavioral Cardiovascular Health Research,’ and director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) funded program ‘Congruent Mentorship to Reach Academic Diversity (COMRADE) in Neuroscience Research.’ At the Miller School, Dr. Jean-Louis will continue to lead the NIH-funded project “Mechanisms of sleep deficiency and effects on brain injury and neurocognitive functions among older blacks.” He also will continue work on his NHLBI-funded R01 “Determinants of insufficient sleep among blacks and effects on disparities in health outcomes” project, looking at the cardiovascular effects of insufficient sleep among Blacks. This project leverages the success of the NYU Sleep Disparity Workgroup that

Dr. Jean- Louis led and will continue at the Miller School. The workgroup has been conducting community-engaged sleep research for more than a decade. Among the faculty members of the Working Group who are joining Dr. Jean-Louis to launch the Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program at the Miller School is Azizi Seixas, Ph.D., formerly an assistant professor in the departments of Population Health and Psychiatry at NYU Langone. Dr. Seixas is associate director of the new Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program at the Miller School. Named one of the 100 most inspiring Black scientists in America by Cell Press, Dr. Seixas’s research focuses on multilevel determinants of sleep and cardiovascular disease disparities; long-term health consequences of cardiovascular disease disparities; and developing adaptive, group-tailored, and personalized behavior modification interventions, with the use of machine learning analytical tools, to improve health and well-being. At the Miller School, Dr. Seixas will continue his work on the NHLBI-funded Determinants of Insufficient Sleep in Rural– Urban Settings (DORMIR) Study, in which he is studying multilevel determinants of insufficient sleep and insufficient sleep related cardiovascular disease among Hispanics. Judite Blanc, Ph.D., also a part of the Working Group and NIH-T32 Postdoctoral Fellow under Dr. Jean-Louis, is moving from her post as adjunct faculty in applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt to her role as a faculty member of the Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program. “I can say I am a living example of this pipeline of researchers that Dr. Jean-Louis has built and is continuing to build,” Dr. Blanc said. “I am a young, Haitian-born psychologist. My goal and dream are to be able to use my research and advanced knowledge about the impact of insufficient sleep and chronic stress on racial, ethnic or disenfranchised communities. Now, I have a platform with which to reach that goal.”

3 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

Empty Nest Syndrome Can Cause Sense of Loss, Anxiety With school back in session and many parents dropping college-aged children off for their advanced educations, there are many ways that moms and dads can prepare themselves for the transition if there are no other children still living at home. It is a rite of passage for most young people in the United States. Every fall, thousands of students move into college dormitories—often miles away from their homes—to forge new lives that will ultimately lead them to independence and careers. In the wake of this ritual, there are those who are left behind. Parents, who up to now have seen their caretaking role as a primary one, now face a house without children and the empty nest syndrome. Some have planned for this exodus and have fashioned new leisure activities or taken up new hobbies, but for many the changes are difficult. Patricia Sarmiento Molina is a lecturer at the University of Miami School of Communication and a web developer with University Communications. Her daughter, Sophia, recently left to attend The Juilliard School in New York City to continue her studies in violin performance. Patricia, her husband Luis, and Sophia spent four days with Sophia enjoying the area around the school and helping her set up her dorm room. Since they were busy, Sarmiento did not have time to process that she was leaving her daughter behind. “It really hit me at the airport,” she said. “It was an emotion that was hard to describe. It was sort of when you break up with a boyfriend. A sadness and a bit of loss.” Sarmiento knows that her daughter will be fine. “She is independent, and this is a great opportunity for her,” she said. “I am so happy for her.” But Sarmiento said she will miss the family time she and her husband spent with their daughter. “We had created a routine with her that we will not have anymore,” she said. Felicia Gould, Psy.D., a clinical neuropsychologist and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Miller School of Medicine, said that it is perfectly normal for empty nesters to feel sad and even experience periods of depression. The COVID-19 pandemic has also added another level of worry for many parents. “Any major change in life: marriage, divorce, first baby, or having the kids move out of the house is a major stressor,” she said.

4 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

Patricia Sarmiento Molina with her daughter, Sophia (left).

“Keeping busy is one of the best ways for parents to cope with sadness and the void that exists when children have left the nest.” — Felicia Gould, Psy.D.

But there are ways that parents can help themselves in this transition, she noted. Reaching out to family and friends and developing a support system with other parents who are also undergoing the same experience can be very helpful. Keeping busy is one of the best ways for parents to cope with sadness and the void that exists when the children have left the nest, Gould said. “They need to beef up their support system,” she said. “They can join a book group or engage in other new activities, or even those they did previously but didn’t have time for when the kids were home.” For many parents, the anxiety goes beyond the kids leaving the nest, she said. They must also accept that the parental role has changed. They have to learn to give up some control. “Parents may believe that now they are parenting an adult,” she said. “They are no longer needed. I don’t have to provide three meals a day. I do not know at what time they come home or watch over their daily schedule and safety.” But realizing that parenting a young adult who lives away from home is different than rearing one who resides with you is the first step. It can be stressful but can also be satisfying as one watches a child mature. It is important

that parents talk to their children and express their concerns, Gould pointed out. “You need to tell them: ‘I am nervous about you leaving.’ ‘I will miss you’,” she said. After that, parents should go about setting up new ways and new boundaries to continue their relationship with their older child. Will they continue to talk to each other every day? Will texting be better? So far, Sarmiento has texted or talked to her daughter every day. “She has even FaceTimed me to show me things she has bought for her room,” she said. Gould said parents should remember that the move is also stressful for the child. It is well documented that young people experience their first mental issues in their late adolescence and early 20s. Many of these issues can stem from the stress of starting out on their own, Gould explained. And in many cases, children come back home after graduation. The Pew Research Center reported in July that 52 percent of young adults reside with one or two parents. No matter how painful the separation from their children can be, parents should always remember that they are “parents for life, and their support will always be needed,” Gould said.

5 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

NIH Taps Dr. Rosie Curiel Cid as Standing Member of Its Clinical Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration Study Section The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has nominated Rosie E. Curiel Cid, Psy.D., to serve as a standing member of its Clinical Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration Study Section. Dr. Curiel is associate professor and chief of Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging, at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The Clinical Neuroscience and Neurodegeneration Study Section determines funding for research focused on chronic neurodegenerative diseases and neurocognitive disorders. Standing members, like Dr. Curiel, are recognized authorities and active scientists in the fields of study. Members commit to serve for four years, reviewing research grant application requests and meeting with other members three times a year in Washington, D.C. to decide which studies should receiving government funding. “I see it as a duty to my country. I am very proud to do the work,” Dr. Curiel said. “This year marks my 10-year anniversary as a Miller School faculty member. The NIH’s nomination is special because it recognizes the intense scholarly dedication and scientific expertise needed to comment in an informed way on whether or not science has merit and should be considered as a next step to advance the field.” The nomination process for study section standing members is extensive, with several layers of federal approval ending with review and approval by the NIH director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. The scholarly position also has an intensive learning curve, according to Dr. Curiel. The study section focuses on applications investigating the etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, progression, and functional consequences of chronic neurodegenerative diseases and neurocognitive disorders. Members of the study section also review research aimed at developing therapeutic strategies to address functional impairments from these conditions, as well as identifying biomarkers to predict and monitor disease status. The primary focus is on patient-oriented research. “An example of a study that might get funding is one that

6 BRAINSTORMS | WINTER 2020–2021

has comprehensive neuroimaging and different kinds of molecular markers to see whether or not a person is at great risk for Alzheimer’s disease. There is a heavy emphasis on biological markers of disease but also cognition,” Dr. Curiel said. Dr. Curiel’s nomination reflects the important neuroscience work being done at the Miller School in Alzheimer’s disease. “Through the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging, we do a lot of the most advanced research in Alzheimer’s disease in early detection. The Miller School also plays a pivotal role in a consortium of Florida institutions awarded a $15 million NIH grant to collaborate on Alzheimer’s disease research through the 1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center(ADRC),” said Dr. Curiel, who leads the Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Core for 1Florida ADRC. A lot of science receiving government funding today addresses gaps and disparities that exist among underrepresented groups. “One very important piece that I bring to the table is in my own research a very strong emphasis on the inclusion of Hispanic and African American older adults who are historically underrepresented in Alzheimer’s disease clinical research and clinical trials,” Dr. Curiel said. Dr. Curiel has already started what she calls her four-year “tour of duty” and is reviewing NIH grant applications before she leaves for Washington, D.C., in October. “Each member independently reviews and critiques about eight applications. The applications that have the best scores are brought up for discussion during the 2 to 2.5 days locked away in NIH headquarters, where we really hash it out,” Dr. Curiel said.

Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane Can Be Soothing Nostalgia evokes pleasant memories for many, and it can also help comfort Alzheimer’s patients, according to Dolores Perdomo, a University of Miami psychologist. When Steve Burns, the former host of the popular Nickelodeon children’s show “Blue’s Clues,” returned recently to talk to his former viewers—many of whom are now millennial adults—the internet blew up with people crying over his message. “I thought it was so sweet and genuine,” said Stefanie M. Rodriguez, community relations and events assistant for the University of Miami Otto G. Richter Library. “It brought me back to sitting in front of the TV and watching the show as a kid. It was the same calming voice and the same authenticity that made me love the show when I was younger. You could tell he really cared about his work and the show, even after all this time.” Rodriguez joined the many millennials who felt that seeing one of their favorite childhood television friends was special. It brought back pleasant memories. It reminded them of happier times. It evoked nostalgia. We have all gone down memory lane in a fit of nostalgia. It is what envelops us as we look at old pictures, hear an old song, or meet with a long-lost friend. “Nostalgia to me are memories from the past and more often than not for me, pleasant memories,” said Mitchell Shapiro, professor in the School of Communication and author of many books on radio and television programming. Shapiro said that television channels, such as FETV and We TV, that run old, classic television shows do not have big audiences but they draw some older folks who tune in to shows like Mr. Ed, I Love Lucy, and The Fugitive for a bit of nostalgia. “Older people who remember those shows tune in from time to time to experience part of their youth,” he said. “In our memories, those times were simpler.” Several psychological studies show that nostalgia can benefit health. Watching favorite old movies, listening to oldies, or thinking about past events that were positive can enhance moods. In Miami, a three-day annual fair called Cuba Nostalgia caters to the memories of Cuban exiles, who pine for pre-revolutionary days that are long gone. Cuban music, art, books, coins, and other memorabilia from a bygone era can be purchased during the event. Fairgoers can even take a picture in front a mural that depicts the “Malecon,” Havana’s famous esplanade and seawall. And this reminiscing also can be beneficial for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

Graphic: Kevin Corrales/University of Miami

“For dementia patients, nostalgia is a therapeutic process,” said Dolores Perdomo, assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Miller School of Medicine. She has spent almost 30 years working with patients with dementia and their caregivers at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging. During that time, she has used reminiscing as a form of therapy to help these patients. “A lot of my work with patients with Alzheimer’s, whether they are in the beginning stages, middle stages, or even the end stages, is reminiscing,” she said. “That is the place that they feel most comfortable. That is the place where they can still interact.” Showing Alzheimer’s patients old pictures of their youth, family, and the places they lived can trigger happy memories. Exposing them to music from their era seems to work like magic. Many patients who seem unresponsive become animated when they hear familiar music, she said, and some even sing along to the lyrics. “Music really makes them happy and calms them,” she said. “If you play songs that they grew up with, it may remind them of their wedding or a time when they were young.” Perdomo said that storytelling also works as a gentle way to bring back lost memories. Telling patients stories about significant past events in their lives can help them gently reminisce about happy moments. She remembered how one of her patients, who came from New Orleans, came alive when shown pictures of the city, its foods, and different locations. The patient started to talk about the food she cooked with her parents as well as other activities she engaged in with her family. “Reminiscing does two things: It brings them back to a time when they felt comfortable and happy, and it gives them a sense of ‘I am still a person. I can still connect with my loved ones,’” she said.

7 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

Inside the Miami VA: The Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service Elizabeth Perkins, M.D., a psychiatrist at the Miami VA healthcare System, said she feels grateful at the end of each workday. “I’ve given a little something back to people who have sacrificed so much for our country,” Dr. Perkins said. It feels good working in a place where everyone has a shared goal and works together as a team to achieve it—giving the best possible care we can give to veterans.” The Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center, in downtown Miami, Fla., is the main facility of the Miami VA Healthcare System, which is one of seven VA Hospitals in the Sunshine Network, the Veterans Integrated Service Network covering Puerto Rico, Florida and South Georgia. Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences is the second largest clinical service at the Miami VA Healthcare System, providing services not only at the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center, but also at several clinics in Monroe, Miami-Dade, and Broward counties. It offers much-needed mental health services at community-based clinics from Key West to Deerfield Beach, as well as at the Homeless Program in Downtown Miami and the William “Bill” Kling outpatient clinic in Sunrise. Meeting a great need

There is a great need to address mental health issues in the veteran population, including the active duty and reserve military members. Thirty percent, or about 730,000, of the men and women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, have a mental health condition that requires treatment. Yet, less than half of returning veterans receive needed mental health care, according to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. To meet local veterans’ mental health care needs, the Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service offers interventions along a continuum of care and for a vast array of mental health conditions. Veterans have access to outpatient services that include psychiatric treatment, individual, couple, family and group therapy, as well as specialized services in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), women’s health, and substance use disorders clinics. Veterans who have serious mental illness and need more intense, therapy-based outpatient intervention have access to care at the Psychosocial Recovery and Rehabilitation Center. Veterans with serious mental illness also benefit

8 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

from a community intensive case management program, which focuses on improving function, increasing treatment compliance and decreasing hospitalizations. Specialized residential rehabilitation programs aimed at helping veterans suffering from PTSD, substance use disorders and other serious mental health conditions allow for longer-term stays of 60 to 90 days or more, depending on patients’ needs. The continuum of care includes urgent, same-day walk-in services available 24/7, 365 days a year, as well as acute care in the inpatient psychiatry unit. The Miami VA Healthcare System also offers other recovery-focused specialized programs, such as vocational rehabilitation; recreational therapy, including art and music therapy; Veterans Justice Outreach, a program that helps divert non-felony cases to veteran courts in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, which aims to enroll veterans in treatment instead of jail time; and a suicide prevention program staffed by nine full-time suicide prevention coordinators.

Spencer Eth, M.D. Professor, Clinical Psychiatry Interim Chief, Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Training Director, Chief of Mental Health Miami VA Healthcare System

Daniella David, M.D. Professor, Clinical Psychiatry Chief, Psychiatry Service PTSD Program Medical Director Bruce W. Carter VA Healthcare System Associate Director of Psychiatry Residency Training Program

“We have been fortunate to welcome several talented graduates from our own Psychiatry Training Programs at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine into our VA service, where they can immediately begin applying their recent training to address veterans’ mental health needs. They’re confident, capable, and clearly dedicated.” — Daniella David, M.D. To educate and train the future pipeline of mental health professionals for the VA system, the Miami VA Healthcare System supports the funding of Psychiatry residents and fellows from the University of Miami (UM), Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital. Many VA psychiatrists hold UM medical school faculty appointments, serve as fellowship site directors, contribute to didactics, and serve as clinical and psychotherapy supervisors. Psychiatry residents, fellows and UM medical students rotate through outpatient, inpatient, emergency room, consultation liaison, residential settings, and addiction services where they experience the continuum of mental health care. Spencer Eth, M.D., Director of the Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship Program at UM Miller School of Medicine, leads the VA Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service. Daniella David, M.D., Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at UM Miller School of Medicine, leads the system’s psychiatry service and its team of 51 full-time psychiatry attendings, nine psychiatric nurse practitioners, and three RNs.

Miami VA Mental Health Services today

During the pandemic, the Miami VA Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences Service had to quickly pivot to telework and tele-mental health delivery, while maintaining in-person services in such areas as the Emergency Department and inpatient units. Despite the challenges, staff maintained daily in-person presence in all Miami VA Medical Center clinics and at the Broward Outpatient Clinic. At present, all MH outpatient services are being provided primarily through in-person or video modality, with telephone clinics available, as needed. All therapy groups continue to be provided virtually, by video conference modality. Though stressful for patients and clinicians, the pandemic did not affect Psychiatry Service’s performance measures, which remained the same or improved (including patient satisfaction scores).MH rehabilitation sections successfully renewed their Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities accreditation for the next three years. Miami VA Healthcare System Psychiatry Service continues to evolve to meet local veterans’ mental health needs and is currently implementing a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) program for treatment-resistant depression, and a pharmacogenomics testing program targeted at better antidepression selection. Janice Rios, M.D., a 2015 UM Miller School of Medicine Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship graduate, said she “chose to work at the Miami VA for many reasons. Among them, the abundance of patient resources, and the freedom to provide optimal care.” “I chose to stay at the Miami VA because working with veterans is very rewarding. I have a great team and supportive leadership,” Dr. Rios said.

9 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

Clinical Trials Clinical trials are the backbone of evidence-based medicine. Broadly speaking, clinical trials evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a medical strategy, treatment, or device. Moreover, clinical trials provide an opportunity for the general public to participate in the process of developing novel treatments for a variety of conditions.

The results from these clinical trials provide the data necessary to assist in future medical decision-making. The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences is dedicated to generating the scientiﬁc knowledge behind the clinical best practices we incorporate in the treatment of difficult and complex

Featured Research Study Social Cognition & Bias Social cognition is how we see and use information in social situations. In this study, we want to understand how social cognition and bias play a part in our sense of belonging and our behaviors. You may be able to participate if you are: l

Over 18 years of age

Currently being treated for major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or schizo-affective disorder

Have experienced an acute episode that required a visit to your doctor OR an urgent care/ER visit in the past 3 months.

Email brac@miami.edu

Call 305.243.5840 and leave us a message

Visit our webpage at UMiamiHealthResearch.org/ #studies/20190056

Scan QR code and click on “I am interested!”

Schizophrenia & Bipolar Disorder

brac@miami.edu or 305.243.5840

10 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

mental health conditions. The Behavioral Research Assessment Center (BRAC ) is the research hub that fulﬁlls the Department’s mission to develop the next line of treatments. For more information on participating in available clinical trials, please email brac@miami.edu or call 305.243.5840. Tics & Tourette’s Syndrome -

Study #: 20180013

Effective Date: 3/13/2019

Cognition, Memory, & Sleep Disorders African American Registry

Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center

Help Us Build an Advanced Memory Registry for Older African American Adults At-Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Help Us Learn More About Memory Changes in Aging

FL Department of Health Researchers throughout the state are working together to study the aging brain and learn more about how to detect and treat brain changes that affect memory during aging. Your participation can help create better tests and treatments.

1Florida ADRC Researchers throughout the state are working together to study the aging brain and learn more about how to detect and treat brain changes that affect memory during aging. Your participation can help create better tests and treatments.

STUDY FACTS

Participation is free Compensation for time Annual Visits No Medication Involved Medical Referrals (if needed)

WHAT’S INVOLVED?

WHO CAN JOIN?

4-5-hour visit Memory Test Brain Imaging Blood Sample Medical History Review

65+ years of age Must have study partner (relative or friend) Fluent in English or Spanish

STUDY FACTS

WHAT’S INVOLVED?

WHO CAN JOIN?

Participation is free Compensation for time Annual Visits No Medication Involved Medical Referrals (if needed)

4-5 hour visit Memory Test Brain Imaging Blood Sample Medical History Review

65-90 years of age Must have study partner (relative or friend) Fluent in English or Spanish

Miami Beach Location

Aja M. Scott, M.S. |Senior Coordinator|305.355.9076 | ascott2@miami.edu UM/Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital | Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging 1695 N.W. 9th Avenue, Suite 3202, Miami, Florida 33136 http://cnsa.med.miami.edu/

Health

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI HEALTH SYSTEM

“Drs. Rosie Curiel and David Loewenstein are co-inventors of intellectual property used in the study.” “This research is not sponsored or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administration. “ This research is not sponsored or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administration.

Health

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI HEALTH SYSTEM

Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging

Study #: 20181171

Effective Date: 4/28/2020

Are you 60 or Older? Be part of research to improve ways to detect changes in memory and thinking

Find out more about these and other studies on UMiamiHealthResearch.org. Get connected in 4 simple steps:

Join our CST Research Study!

The CST (Cognitive Stress Test) Study is recruiting adults 60-years and older to study the normal aging brain and those with early signs of memory loss.

I am Interested! Search

Show Interest

for studies

in studies you like

We are looking for English and Spanish speakers with:  normal memory  some changes in memory or thinking  no diagnosis of dementia Participants will be compensated for their time. If you are interested in learning more, please contact our Study Coordinator: Giselle Sesteaga, IMG Phone: 305-355-9081 Email: gas159@med.miami.edu University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging Study Title: Novel Computerized Cognitive Stress Test Funded by: National Institute on Aging Grant #: R01 AG061106-01 Disclaimer: This research study is being conducted by the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging of the University of Miami and is not sponsored or endorsed by the Bruce W. Carter VA Medical Center.

Communicate

Participate

with study teams

if there is a match

UMiamiHealthResearch.org

11 B R A I N S T O R M S | F A L L 2 0 2 1

Grants | Awards | Published Research 2021 Mary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award

2021 AAP Resident Psychiatric Educator Award

Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D.

David Martinez Garza, M.D., Chief Psychiatry Resident

The Mary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award honors excellence in education in sleep and circadian research. This award honors an individual for their contributions to training sleep and circadian professionals and/or educating the general public. Selection criteria for this award considers educational contributions such as: disseminating the knowledge base and research methods of the sleep and circadian field, increasing awareness of the health and safety significance of the sleep and circadian field, and teaching, mentoring, course development, educational publications (including textbooks, popular press books, or popular press articles), presentations (including mass media presentations), and/or outreach activities. The award is named for Mary Carskadon, Ph.D., one of the most prominent American researchers in sleep.

Dr. David Martinez Garza has been awarded the 2021 Association for Academic Psychiatry (AAP) Resident Psychiatric Educator Award. The AAP focuses on education in psychiatry and seeks to help psychiatrists interested in a career in academic psychiatry, promoting teaching, research, and career development. Every year, AAP honors eight psychiatry residents nationwide who have demonstrated promise as educators and scholars in academic psychiatry. The two-year award includes membership to AAP and its accompanying journal (Academic Psychiatry), networking and mentorship from national educators, as well as special seminars and workshops at the AAP Annual Meeting.

Publications Marcela Kitaigorodsky, Psy.D.

Rene Hernandez-Cardenache, Psy.D.

"Changes in LASSI-L performance over time among older adults with amnestic MCI and amyloid positivity: a preliminary Study. Journal of Psychiatry Research.

“Cognitive and Neuroimaging Correlates of the Insomnia Severity Index in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Study.” Journal of Applied Sciences. Deborah Jones Weiss, Ph.D.

Andrew Wawrzyniak,Ph.D.

“Psychosomatic Properties of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale Adapted for COVID-19 Vaccination among People with HIV.” AIDS & Behavior.

“Behavioral and Psychological Triggers of Myocardial Infarction.” Cardiovascular Behavioral Medicine. Firdaus Dhabhar, Ph.D.

Deborah Jones Weiss, Ph.D. & Steve Weiss, Ph.D.

“Deleterious and Protective Psychosocial and Chronic Stress Related Factors Predict Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Birth.” American Journal of Pernatology.

Examining Factors Associated with Gender Identity Among Individuals Disengaged from HIV Care in Argentine. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine.

FACES

R01 Grant: Brain Effects of Lifetime Racial / Ethnic Discrimination on the LC-NE Function and the Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease [1R01AG072644-01] Dr. Girardin Jean-Louis, director of the Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences Program, recently received an R01 grant for $847,000 from the National Institute on Aging.

His study will address how Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a global crisis facing the aging population and society as a whole. Despite studies suggesting that blacks may be at greater risk of developing AD, with 2-3 times higher prevalence rate of cognitive impairment than whites, there have been few studies investigating health disparities, and blacks have been underrepresented in many prominent U.S. AD biomarker studies and clinical trials. The current biomarker classification system (i.e., the ATN model) does not fully account for health disparities and can’t explain the increased prevalence among blacks of both AD and vascular risk factors for AD such as diabetes and hypertension when compared to whites. Research on cognitive aging has traditionally focused on how decline in various cortical and hippocampal regions influences cognition. Our study will examine how cumulative exposure to socioeconomic disadvantage and racial discrimination may cause long-lasting changes in LC function followed by the locus coeruleus (LC) neuronal loss, which would explain the different AD phenotypical clinical presentation among blacks, and what factors may contribute to the the dysfunction of the LC.

The UM Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences extends a warm welcome to new members of the team:

Kaitlin Hahn

Gillian Mitchell

Dhruti Patel, M.D.

Research Associate

Assistant Professor

Kenya Chandler

Diana Hincapie, Psy.D.

Martin Orkuma, M.P.H.

Jenevieve Treiser, M.D.

Clinic Assistant

Post-Doctoral Associate

Research Associate

Yuleidys Faito

Christina Loisel

Alexandra Ortega, Psy.D.

Project Manager

Research Associate

Post-Doctoral Associate

Marisa Bohamed

12 B R A I N S T O R M S | FA L L 2 0 2 1

Tocarra Ware

Administrative Assistant

November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. An estimated 6.2 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s; this number is projected to rise to nearly 13 million by 2050. Our Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging (CNSA) is proud to partner with the

When we discover early signs of cognitive decline, we can find ways to preserve brain function and help older adults live better and maintain their independence.

1Florida Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC), a consortium of Florida institutions

that conduct Alzheimer’s research. The 1Florida ADRC was awarded a five-year, $15 million grant from the National Institutes of Health/ National Institute on Aging to collaborate with other top Florida institutions to focus on Alzheimer’s disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and education in culturally diverse populations.

The Memory Disorders Clinic (MDC)

at UM is one of 16 state-designated clinics supported by the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs

since 1986. Experts at the MDC can help differentiate normal aging from other illnesses.

10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer’s

Memory loss that disrupts daily life

Challenges in planning or solving problems

Difficulty completing familiar tasks

Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships

Confusion with time or place

Withdrawal from work or social activities

Changes in mood and personality

New problems with words in speaking or writing

Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

Decreased or poor judgment

Source: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/10_signs

CNSA Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging

What to Do & Where to Go

Common Purpose Transforming lives through teaching, research and service.

For a Mental Health Emergency, CALL 911 if you believe someone is in danger of hurting themselves or others. Jackson Behavioral Health Hospital Triage 305.355.7332 Silver Alert If your loved one has gone missing, please CALL 911 immediately.

Silver Alert is a statewide initiative to involve the public in locating a cognitively impaired person who has gotten lost driving or while on foot. For more information visit florida silveralert.com. Office Numbers Main Psychiatry Appointment Scheduling 305.243.0214

Chairman’s Office 305.243.6400

Courtelis Center 305.243.4129

University of Miami Hospital (West Building) We offer telehealth appointments for psychiatric and psychological services, please call 305.243.0214

Deerfield Beach 954.571.0117 Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging (CNSA) 305.355.9080

Child & Adolescent 305.355.7148

Brain Fitness Pavilion 305.355.9080 *English, Option 3

Soffer Clinical Research Center 305.243.2301

Memory Disorders Clinic 305.355.9065

COVID-19 Resources

Mental Health Resources

For updates on UM actions and policy changes related to coronavirus please visit umiamihealth.org

In addition to UM, these organizations are offering mental health support and information during the pandemic.

Our Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and Aging’s statement on COVID-19 cnsa.med.miami.edu World Health Organization Follow the WHO’s global response to the coronavirus pandemic www.who.int Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The latest guidance and recommendations for fighting coronavirus in the U.S. www.cdc.gov National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Emerging research on the novel coronavirus www.niaid.nih.gov

The University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is committed to: Conducting research that deepens our understanding of the development, pathophysiology, and prevention of psychiatric illness and the nature of human behavior, and apply this knowledge to the development and delivery of more effective, evidence-based treatments.

Offering comprehensive treatment and consultation to our patients, their families, and the community. Providing outstanding mental health education and multidisciplinary training to the next generation of healthcare providers and investigators. DIRECCT Core values l Diversity l Integrity l Responsibility l Excellence l Compassion l Creativity l Teamwork

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention www.afsp.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1.800.273.8255 suicidepreventionlifeline.org National Alliance on Mental Illness www.nami.org/Home Mental Health America www.mhanational.org/covid19

The publication of the University of Miami Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Executive Editor Samantha Richter Soffer Clinical Research Center 1120 NW 14th Street | Suite 1457 Miami, FL 33136

BrainStorms 2021 Fall Edition

Articles inside

Taking a Trip Down Memory Lane Can Be Soothing

New Miller School Program Focused on Leading Sleep Science Research, Training, Community Empowerment