DepartmentsPage back
Neuropsychiatry神経精神医学講座
Staffs
- Professor: Kazuhiko Nakamura
- Associate professor: Tetsu Tomita
- Junior Associate professor (hospital affiliation): Kojiro Hashimoto, Yasuki Ono
- Assistant Professor: Ayako Osato, Makoto Osada
- Research Assistant: Ai Terui
Current Research Topics
Psychiatric disease was newly added to become one of the five major diseases. The number of patients with depression at work place, and because of the ageing of society, the number of patients with dementia is increasing every year. Focused measures for psychiatric diseases are needed since they involve many people.
In the clinical aspects, we have increased the therapeutic effect focusing on rational drug therapy, such as clozapine therapy for treatment-resistant schizophrenia, a modified electroconvulsive therapy. In addition, we treat not only using drug therapy, but also incorporating the psychotherapy based on evidence such as cognitive behavior therapy for depression and eating disorders, and EMDR for PTSD, therefore we can select monotherapy or combination therapy. Need such as Liaison Consultation of delirium, Palliative care and diagnosis and treatment of developmental disorders has been increasing year by year. In the educational aspects, we have established the opportunity to discussion through the conference, such as understanding psychiatric disease by the brain science research and the neuroimaging, as well as understanding the diagnosis and the treatment plan based on the cognitive and thinking patterns of the patients. We hope to tell medical students the fun of psychiatry.
Current Research Topics
Currently, research is going on around the two groups. In the field of clinical neuropsychiatric pharmacological research, research on drug metabolism of psychotropic drugs and drug interaction have been intensively conducted. International quality results have recently been produced using pharmacogenetic methods and molecular genetics. In addition, we also focused on mental health with physical disease and complications in psychiatric disorders. Through such research activities, improving the diagnosis and treatment skills of each researcher, we have reported a lot of information to help patients and their families.
In the field of pediatric, adolescent psychiatric research, we are conducting research using a field of 5-year-old children Health Checkup in Hirosaki City. Our studies are about CNV analysis in autism spectrum disorder, epidemiology of developmental disorder, early intervention and so on. We reported that a prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder in the DSM-5 was about 3% in community, and rate of comorbidities, hyperactivity disorder, developmental coordination disorderand intellectual disability, were more than 80%. Support team reported that the upstream rate of depression is concerned about 15.3% at the elementary school, 21.2% in the upper grades, to 29.5% at the junior high school students in the health survey for all elementary and junior high school students in collaboration with Hirosaki Board of Education, and the population with this tendency has been increased over years. Research activities has been still for 6 years, but it is expected to come out the results little by little, including the regional contribution.
Clinical training
Secondary training program: This is for graduates who aim to become psychiatrists. They obtain a physician certification for psychiatry and psychiatric specialists. Physicians other than secondary trainees can enroll in this program as needed.
Program for pediatric psychiatrists: Trainees practice outpatient and inpatient treatment for children who refuse to go to school, autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, child depression, and psychosomatic disorders under supervision. Trainees prepare case reports, presentation at conference, and other reports to prepare for board examination for specialists. Physicians can enroll in the program as needed.
Graduate school
Trainees can also enroll in the graduate school simultaneously and obtain Ph.D. in 4 years, if they are interested in research.