I completed my formative education at the King Edward Camp Hill School for Boys, England. I subsequently completed medical school at the University of Birmingham, England. I proceeded to complete a full residency in general practice under the Royal College of General Practitioners, being awarded the MRCGP in 2008. Subsequently I completed an internship with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, prior to moving to Emory University for adult psychiatric training. I am now based at Harvard and the Mass. General Hospital - focusing on neurodevelopmental disorders including autism. I am a Leadership Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Laughlin Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists.
Resident Physician in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Massachusetts General Hospital and McLean Hospital
Editor-in-Chief, American Journal of Psychiatry Residents Journal (July 1st 2013)
2013 Joe & Hope Skobba Memorial Resident Research Award 1st Place (Coauthor), GPPA
2009 Royal College of Psychiatrists (Trent Division) Poster Presentation Prize Winner
2009 Royal College of Psychiatrists (Trent Division) Foundation Audit Prize Coauthor
Autism Spectrum Disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, experimental psychopharmacology,
Research into stigma toward mental illness and treatment, healthcare disparities for minority populations.
Intranasal oxytocin as an adjunctive therapy for enhancement of social cognition in schizophrenia
Psychopharmacological treatment of mood and anxiety disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Barriers to care and early diagnosis for minority children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Educational Outreach and awareness in minority communties regarding Autism.
Book Chapters
McDonald W, Vahabzadeh A. Chapter 23 ECT and Neuromodulation in the Treatment of Late-Life Mood Disorders in Lavretsky H, Sajatovic M, Reynolds C, Late-Life Mood Disorders, Oxford University Press 2013
Vahabzadeh A, Gillespie C, Ressler K. PTSD and Anxiety Disorders in Neurobiology of Brain Dysfunction , Elsevier. In press
McDougle CJ, Vahabzadeh A. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in the Pathobiology of Human Disease: A Dynamic Encyclopedia of Disease Mechanisms , Elsevier. Submitted.
Selected Papers and Articles
Vahabzadeh A, McDougle CJ. Maternal folic acid supplementation and risk of autism. JAMA. 2013 Jun 5;309(21):2208. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.4876. PubMed PMID: 23736720.
Vahabzadeh A. Buxton D. Stigler KA. McDougle CJ. The Current State and Future Prospects of Pharmacological Interventions for Autism. Neuropsychiatry April 2013, Vol. 3, No. 2, Pages 245-259 , DOI 10.2217/npy.13.22 (doi:10.2217/npy.13.22)
Vahabzadeh A. McDonald WM. Physicians' warnings for unfit drivers and risk of road crashes. New England Journal of Medicine. 2013 Jan 3;368(1):86-7. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc1212928#SA1. PubMed PMID: 23281993.
Minhas HM, Vahabzadeh A, Autism Spectrum Disorder in DSM-5. American Journal of Psychiatry Residents Journal Vol 8 Issue 5, May 2013
Carr ER, Woods AM, Vahabzadeh A, Sutton C, Wittenauer J, Kaslow NJ. PTSD, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation in African American Women: A Mediated Model. J Clin Psychol Med Settings. 2012 Jul 17. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 22802144
Mitchell AJ, Vahabzadeh A, Magruder K. Screening for distress and depression in cancer settings:10 lessons from 40 years of primary-care research. Psychooncology. 2011 Jun;20(6):572-84. doi: 10.1002/pon.1943. Epub 2011 Mar 27. PubMed PMID: 21442689
Vahabzadeh A. Buxton D. Don’t Let Borders Limit Your Perspective, Psychiatric News. Jan 2013, Vol 48, No 1, pg 29
Vahabzadeh A. Wittenauer J, McDonald WM. Web-based involuntary-commitment educational project for emergency medicine residents: an interdepartmental quality initiative. Acad Psychiatry. 2013 Jan 1;37(1):64-5. doi: 10.1176/appi.ap.12050097. PubMed PMID: 23338880.
Vahabzadeh A. Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, A time of challenge and opportunities. AACAP News, Jan 2013 44(1)
Goldsmith, D, Vahabzadeh A. Minimizing metabolic risk. Current Psychiatry 2013, 12. 4
Vahabzadeh A, Schwartz AC. Disease characteristics should be taken into account when comparing attitudes and levels of stigma toward psychiatric and medical conditions. Acad Psychiatry. 2012 Nov 1;36(6):499-500. doi: 10.1176/appi.ap.12070135. PubMed PMID: 23154708.
Vahabzadeh A. Duncan E. Caution with Prazosin. Current Psychiatry, August 2012 Vol 11 No.8 E1-2
Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J, Carr E. Stigma, schizophrenia and the media: exploring changes in the reporting of schizophrenia in major U.S. Newspapers. J Psychiatr Pract. 2011 Nov;17(6):439-46. PubMed PMID: 22108403.
Vahabzadeh A. ADHD, Research Challenges and the Dopamine Hypothesis. Am J Psychiatry Res J. 2012 July Vol7 Iss7 pg3-5.
Vahabzadeh A. Wittenauer J. Reaping the Rewards of Collaboration. Psychiatric News Volume 47 Number 9 page 16b-16b.
Vahabzadeh A, Long T. Overview of the Genetics of Autism. Am J Psychiatry Res J. Vol6 Iss11 pg3-5
Vahabzadeh A, Goldberg R, Wittenauer J, Posse PR, Juul S. Residents benefit from insights into the role and challenges of psychiatry departments. Academic Psychiatry. 2011 Jul-Aug;35(4):273. PubMed PMID: 21913372
Vahabzadeh A. What is interventional psychiatry? Am J Psychiatry Res J. October 2011 Volume 6 Issue 10 pg 9
Vahabzadeh A. Book Review of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Infants and Toddlers: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment, Katarzyna Chawarska, Ami Klin, Fred R Volkmar. Am J Psychiatry Res J Vol6 Iss11 pg14
Vahabzadeh A, Juul S. New Duty-Hour Rules Present Opportunities for Residents. Psychiatric News June 3, 2011 Volume 46 Number 11 Page 23
Wittenauer J, Vahabzadeh A, Reducing and Preventing Cannabis Use in High-Risk Patients. Am J Psychiatry Res J 2011, 6:13-15
Vahabzadeh A, Delaffon V, Abbas M. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in Alzheimer’s dementia – An Update. GM2 Neurology and Mental Health 2010
Delaffon V, Vahabzadeh A, Naik S, Kinnair D, Bruce J. Capgras Syndrome in a Patient with Severe Hyponatraemia. German J Psychiatry 2010;13 (4): 175-177
Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J, Recession Imposes New Challenges on Psychiatric Care. PsychiatricNews December 3, 2010 Volume 45 Number 23 Page 36
Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J: Treatment of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome with Electroconvulsive Therapy. Am J Psychiatry Res J 2010; 5 11:12–13
Vahabzadeh ABN, Delaffon V, Abbas M, Biswas AB. Severe Learning Disability. InnovAiT, February 1, 2011; 4(2): 91
Biswas AB, Vahabzadeh A, Hobbs T, Healy JM. Obesity in people with learning disabilities: possible causes and reduction interventions. Nurs Times. 2010 Aug 10-16;106(31):16-8. PubMed PMID:20806643
Vahabzadeh ABN, Delaffon V, Biswas A, (June 2010) Meeting the Healthcare needs of People with Learning Disability. InnovAiT, June 1, 2010; 3(6): 328 - 332.
Vahabzadeh A, Abbas M, Boyle A. National Dementia Strategy. Br J Gen Pract. 2010 May;60(574):372-3. PubMed PMID: 20423588; PubMed Central.
Symposium and Workshops
Seawell M. Vahabzadeh A, Fayad S. The American Journal of Psychiatry Residents Journal, how to become involved. Accepted at the APA annual meeting San Francisco May 18-22, 2013
Poster Presentations
Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J, Goldsmith D, Schwartz A. Social Media Engagement and Portrayal of Antidepressant Medication. Accepted at the APA annual meeting San Francisco May 18-22, 2013
Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J, Lloyd RB, D'Orio B. Medicolegal Documentation For Involuntary Commitment: An Interdepartmental Educational Initiative for Residents. Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association meeting, Atlanta, USA Feb 2012.
Vahabzadeh A, Martin C.L, Moreno-De-Luca D, Cubells J. Identification of potentially etiologic copy number variations in adults with intellectual disability and autistic spectrum disorders using array Comparative Genomic Hybridization. Presented at the
a. Society for Social Neuroscience meeting, November 2011, Washington D.C. b. Cell Symposia: Autism Spectrum Disorders: From Mechanisms to Therapies November 2011, Arlington, VA
Vahabzadeh A, Carr E, Wittenauer J. Improving Prosocial Behavior in Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Overview of Intranasal Oxytocin. Atlanta Autism Consortium, Atlanta, May 2011.
Lloyd RB, Garrido PJ, Lakia A, Bennasar M, Wittenauer J, Carr E, Vahabzadeh A. A content analysis of newspaper articles describing Posttraumatic Stress disorder in the United States and United Kingdom. American Psychiatric Association Meeting, Hawaii, May 2011.
Carr E, Wood A, Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J, Kaslow N. Illuminating the Comorbidity of PTSD, Depressive Symptomotology, and Suicidal Ideation in African American Women: A Mediated Model. American Psychological Association Meeting, Washington D.C, 2011
Carr E, Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J. A Content Analysis of Bipolar Disorder related video media on
Youtube.com . American Psychological Association Meeting, Washington D.C, August 2011
Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J,Carr E. Schizophrenia, Murder and Newspapers – Investigating the reporting of Schizophrenia in Georgia’s Newspapers. Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association meeting, Atlanta, USA Feb 2011.
Vahabzadeh A, Wittenauer J,Carr E. Searching for Schizophrenia: Exploring the depiction of Schizophrenia on Youtube.com. Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association meeting, Atlanta, USA Feb 2011
Abbas M, Vahabzadeh A, Reid C, Boyle A. Experience of dementia care: Survey of general practice trainees in the East Midlands. RCGP Annual Primary Care Conference 2010; Harrogate, United Kingdom. October 2010
Delaffon V, Vahabzadeh A, Milward T, Naik S, Taylor A, Pant A Diagnosis and Management of Wernicke’ s Encephalopathy by Trainees in Psychiatry. The Faculty of Addictions Royal College of Psychiatrists; Bristol, United Kingdom. April 2010
Dhanji T, Meghji S, Thomas D, Vahabzadeh A, Benaris M, Delaffon V , Khoosal D.. Re-audit of lithium monitoring in City East adult patients on the lithium register. Royal College of Psychiatrists; Rotherham, United Kingdom. October 2009
Vahabzadeh A, Delaffon V, Khoosal D. Survey of psychiatrists attitudes to pharmaceutical industry sponsorship and hospitality. Royal College of Psychiatrists; Rotherham, United Kingdom. October
2009
Vahabzadeh A, Thomas D, Meghji S, Benaris M, Delaffon V, Dhanji T, Khoosal D. Cardiovascular risk factors in a community sample of patients with Bipolar Disorder Royal College of Psychiatrists; Rotherham, United Kingdom. October 2009
Media Coverage / Public Education
http://news.emory.edu/stories/2013/02/psych_ama_award_arshya/index.html
http://apahealthyminds.blogspot.com/2012/11/sleep-hygiene-5-practical-tips-for-more.html
http://apahealthyminds.blogspot.com/2012/10/safety-tips-for-children-with-autism.html
http://www.emoryhealthsciblog.com/?p=5363
I think it is certainly very interesting, and may very well foster faster dissemination of ideas in medical specialties.
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