Department of Psychiatry Faculty

Gerard Sanacora, MD. PhD Associate Professor of Psychiatry Director, Yale Depression Research Program 34 Park Street New Haven, CT 06519 Tel: (203) 974-7535 Fax: (203) 974-7662 Email: gerard.sanacora@yale.edu

Education

Ph.D., 1992, SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
M.D., 1994, SUNY at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY
Residency: Yale University School of Medicine, Psychiatry

Areas of Expertise

Pathophysiology of Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Amino Acid Neurotransmission
Neuropsychopharmacology
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Yale Depression Research Program

Laboratory Personnel

Research Interest

My work is focused largely on identifying the contributions of the amino acid neurotransmitter systems (GABA and Glutamate) to the neurobiology of mood disorders and the mechanism of antidepressant action. Specifically, my laboratory is employing novel magnetic resonance spectroscopy methodologies and pharmacological challenge paradigms to identify abnormalities in the function of the amino acid neurotransmitter systems in individuals suffering from mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, we are using rodent models to further explore the effects of chronic stress on the physiology and molecular biology of the amino acid neurotransmitter systems, and to initially test novel treatment strategies targeting these systems. Based on initial studies that suggest specific abnormalities of the amino acid neurotransmitter systems are related to the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders and other recent studies demonstrating that drugs designed to target these systems possess antidepressant and anxiolytic actions, we are now conducting several clinical trials with novel agents to determine the true clinical utility of this novel approach to the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders.

Other areas related to my research include:

• Development of novel diagnostic strategies to improve treatment planning and prognosis of patients with mood and anxiety disorder
• Exploring the role of cellular toxicity and neuroplasticity in the pathophysiology and treatment of mood disorders
• Exploring potential means (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) of improving the standard modalities of treatment delivery and preventing the occurrence and relapse of mood and anxiety disorder

Selected Honors

APA/Glaxo Wellcome Fellowship, 1996
Lustman Research Award, Yale Department of Psychiatry, 1998
Organon Excellence in Psychiatry Award, 1999
Charles A. Dana Foundation Award for Clinical Hypotheses in Neuroscience, 1999
NARSAD Klerman Award, Honorable mention, 2003
NARSAD Klerman Award, Honorable mention, 2005

Publications of Note

Y.S. Mineur, M.R. Picciotto, G. Sanacora. Antidepressant-Like Effects of Ceftriaxone in Male C57BL/6J Mice, Biological Psychiatry 2007 Jan 15;61(2):250-2.

G. Sanacora, S.F. Kendell, Y. Levin, A.A. Simen, L.R. Fenton, V. Coric, J.H. Krystal. Preliminary evidence of riluzole efficacy in antidepressant-treated patients residual depression symptoms. Biological Psychiatry, 2006 Dec 4; [Epub ahead of print]

G. Sanacora, L.R. Fenton, M.K Fasula, D.L. Rothman, Y. Levin, J.H. Krystal, G.F. Mason. Cortical Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Concentrations in Depressed Patients Receiving Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Biological Psychiatry 2006;1;59(3):284-6.

L. Fenton, M. Fasula, R. Ostroff, G. Sanacora. Can cognitive behavioral therapy reduce relapse rates of depression after ECT? A preliminary study, Journal of ECT 2006 Sep;22(3):196-8.

A. Kugaya, G. Sanacora. Beyond Monoamines: Glutamatergic Function in Mood Disorders. CNS Spectra, 2005;10(10):808-19.

G. Sanacora, R. Gueorguieva, C.N. Epperson, Y. Wu, M. Appel, D.L. Rothman, J.H. Krystal, and G.F. Mason. Subtype-Specific Alterations of GABA and Glutamate in Major Depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 2004;61(7): 705-713.

G. Sanacora, R.M. Berman, A. Cappiello, D.A. Oren, A. Kugaya, N. Liu, R. Gueorguieva, M. Fasula, and D.S. Charney. Addition of the ?2-Antagonist Yohimbine to Fluoxetine: Effects on Rate of Antidepressant Response. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2004;29(6): 1166-1171.

G. Sanacora, G.F. Mason, D.L. Rothman, J.J. Ciarcia, R.B. Ostroff, and J.H. Krystal. Increased Occipital Cortex GABA Concentrations Following Electroconvulsive Therapy in Depressed Patients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2003;160:3:577-579.

G. Sanacora, D.L Rothman, G.F. Mason, and J.H. Krystal. Clinical Studies Implementing Glutamate Neurotransmission in Mood Disorders. In: Glutamate and Disorders of Cognition and Motivation. Moghaddam B, Wolf ME, Eds. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2003;1003:292-308.

G. Sanacora, G.F. Mason, D.L Rothman, and J.H. Krystal. Increased Occipital Cortex GABA Concentrations in Depressed Patients After Therapy with Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors. American Journal of Psychiatry, 2002;159:4:663-665.

A.C-H. Chen, K-H. Shin, R.S. Duman, and G. Sanacora. ECS-Induced Sprouting and BDNF Expression are Attenuated by Ketamine Pre-Treatment. Journal of ECT, 2001;17:27-32.

G. Sanacora, G.F. Mason, D.L. Rothman, K. Behar, F. Hyder, O.A.C. Petroff, R.M. Berman, D. S. Charney and J.H. Krystal. 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Evidence of Reduced Cortical GABA Levels in Depressed Patients. Archives General Psychiatry, 1999;56:1043-1047.

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