Augustus John Rush

Last updated
A. John Rush
Born
Augustus John Rush

(1942-12-15) December 15, 1942 (age 80)
New Jersey, U.S.
Alma mater Princeton University, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
Known forhis research on the development and testing of innovative treatments for major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder
AwardsThomson Reuters: World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds (2014)
American Psychiatric Association (APA): Award for Research in Psychiatry (2007)
Scientific career
Fields Psychiatrist
Institutions University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Duke-NUS Medical School

Augustus John Rush (born December 15, 1942) is an internationally renowned psychiatrist. He is a professor emeritus in Duke-NUS Medical School at the National University of Singapore (NUS), [1] and adjunct professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University School of Medicine. [2] He has authored and edited more than 10 books, and over 600 scientific journal articles that are largely focused on the diagnosis and treatment of depressive and bipolar disorders. [1]

Contents

Education and early life

Rush grew up in New Jersey with his younger sister. He graduated valedictorian from the Pingry School, an independent, college preparatory country day school in New Jersey. Rush earned his bachelor's degree in biochemistry, cum laude, from Princeton University in 1964, and his medical degree from the Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons in 1968. [3] Following his general medical internship at Passavant Hospital, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, [3] he served as a general medical officer in the U.S. Army in Nuremberg, Germany. [4] Following an additional year of government service in the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention in Washington, D.C., [4] he completed his psychiatric residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [3] There, he established the Depression Clinic with Manoochehr Khatami, M D. He collaborated with his mentor Aaron T. Beck M.D. in the specification and initial testing of cognitive therapy for depression. [5]

Career and research

As assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Oklahoma, he led the third year medical student rotation in psychiatry and founded the Depression Clinic. He then joined the Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas as associate professor, Professor and subsequently Vice Chair in Psychiatry. [3] He was later also appointed Vice Chair and Professor in the Department of Clinical Sciences at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. [3] Subsequently, as Professor and Vice Dean of Clinical Sciences at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore from 2008 to 2013, [1] he established and developed specialized programs to launch and support patient-oriented research careers for clinicians by creating the Academic Medicine Research Institute, and a program in clinical research for third-year medical students. [1]

His research has focused on the development and testing of innovative treatments for depressive and bipolar disorders including medications, medication combinations, somatic treatments, psychotherapy, and disease management protocols. [3] Rush's work is widely recognized nationally and internationally, and has received awards from many professional organizations including the American College of Psychiatrists, American Psychopathological Association the National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders, the American Psychiatric Association and the Society for Biological Psychiatry, among others. [3] In 2014, Thomson Reuters recognized Dr. Rush as one of the “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds”. [6]

Selected awards and honors

Works

Selected books

Selected articles

Personal life

Rush has two sons, Matthew John Rush and Augustus John Rush III, and four grandchildren. He presently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with his wife, Dee Miller Rush. He provides consultation to individuals as well as academic, governmental and industrial organizations.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bipolar disorder</span> Mental disorder that causes periods of depression and abnormally elevated mood

Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of depression and periods of abnormally elevated mood that each last from days to weeks. If the elevated mood is severe or associated with psychosis, it is called mania; if it is less severe, it is called hypomania. During mania, an individual behaves or feels abnormally energetic, happy or irritable, and they often make impulsive decisions with little regard for the consequences. There is usually also a reduced need for sleep during manic phases. During periods of depression, the individual may experience crying and have a negative outlook on life and poor eye contact with others. The risk of suicide is high; over a period of 20 years, 6% of those with bipolar disorder died by suicide, while 30–40% engaged in self-harm. Other mental health issues, such as anxiety disorders and substance use disorders, are commonly associated with bipolar disorder.

Bipolar I disorder is a type of bipolar spectrum disorder characterized by the occurrence of at least one manic episode, with or without mixed or psychotic features. Most people also, at other times, have one or more depressive episodes, and all experience a hypomanic stage before progressing to full mania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cognitive behavioral therapy</span> Therapy to improve mental health

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression and anxiety disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most effective means of treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders. CBT focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions and their associated behaviors to improve emotional regulation and develop personal coping strategies that target solving current problems. Though it was originally designed to treat depression, its uses have been expanded to include the treatment of many mental health conditions, including anxiety, substance use disorders, marital problems, ADHD, and eating disorders. CBT includes a number of cognitive or behavioral psychotherapies that treat defined psychopathologies using evidence-based techniques and strategies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Major depressive disorder</span> Mental disorder involving persistent low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest

Major depressive disorder (MDD), also known as clinical depression, is a mental disorder characterized by at least two weeks of pervasive low mood, low self-esteem, and loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities. Introduced by a group of US clinicians in the mid-1970s, the term was adopted by the American Psychiatric Association for this symptom cluster under mood disorders in the 1980 version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III), and has become widely used since.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mood disorder</span> Group of conditions characterised by a disturbance in mood

A mood disorder, also known as an affective disorder, is any of a group of conditions of mental and behavioral disorder where a disturbance in the person's mood is the main underlying feature. The classification is in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Beck</span> American psychiatrist and academic (1921–2021)

Aaron Temkin Beck was an American psychiatrist who was a professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. He is regarded as the father of cognitive therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). His pioneering methods are widely used in the treatment of clinical depression and various anxiety disorders. Beck also developed self-report measures for depression and anxiety, notably the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), which became one of the most widely used instruments for measuring the severity of depression. In 1994 he and his daughter, psychologist Judith S. Beck, founded the nonprofit Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy, which provides CBT treatment and training, as well as research. Beck served as President Emeritus of the organization up until his death.

Double depression refers to the co-existence of major depressive disorder (MDD) and persistent depressive disorder (PDD),. Research has shown that double depression tends to be more severe than either MDD or PDD alone and that individuals with double depression experience relapse more often than those with either MDD or PDD alone. However, there is some research that indicates few differences exist between double depression, MDD, and PDD; as a result, those researchers conclude that double depression is not a distinct disorder.

Dysthymia, also known as persistent depressive disorder (PDD), is a mental and behavioral disorder, specifically a disorder primarily of mood, consisting of similar cognitive and physical problems as major depressive disorder, but with longer-lasting symptoms. The concept was used by Robert Spitzer as a replacement for the term "depressive personality" in the late 1970s.

Atypical depression is defined in the DSM IV as depression that shares many of the typical symptoms of major depressive disorder or dysthymia but is characterized by improved mood in response to positive events. In contrast to those with atypical depression, people with melancholic depression generally do not experience an improved mood in response to normally pleasurable events. Atypical depression also often features significant weight gain or an increased appetite, hypersomnia, a heavy sensation in the limbs, and interpersonal rejection sensitivity that results in significant social or occupational impairment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psychotic depression</span> Medical condition

Psychotic depression, also known as depressive psychosis, is a major depressive episode that is accompanied by psychotic symptoms. It can occur in the context of bipolar disorder or major depressive disorder. It can be difficult to distinguish from schizoaffective disorder, a diagnosis that requires the presence of psychotic symptoms for at least two weeks without any mood symptoms present. Unipolar psychotic depression requires that psychotic symptoms occur during severe depressive episodes, although residual psychotic symptoms may also be present in between episodes. Diagnosis using the DSM-5 involves meeting the criteria for a major depressive episode, along with the criteria for "mood-congruent or mood-incongruent psychotic features" specifier.

Treatment-resistant depression is a term used in psychiatry to describe people with major depressive disorder (MDD) who do not respond adequately to a course of appropriate antidepressant medication within a certain time. Definitions of treatment-resistant depression vary, and they do not include a resistance to psychological therapies. Inadequate response has most commonly been defined as less than 50% reduction in depressive symptoms following treatment with at least one antidepressant medication, although definitions vary widely. Some factors that contribute to inadequate treatment are: a history of repeated or severe adverse childhood experiences, early discontinuation of treatment, insufficient dosage of medication, patient noncompliance, misdiagnosis, cognitive impairment, low income and other socio-economic variables, and concurrent medical conditions, including comorbid psychiatric disorders. Cases of treatment-resistant depression may also be referred to by which medications people with treatment-resistant depression are resistant to. In treatment-resistant depression adding further treatments such as psychotherapy, lithium, or aripiprazole is weakly supported as of 2019.

The emphasis of the treatment of bipolar disorder is on effective management of the long-term course of the illness, which can involve treatment of emergent symptoms. Treatment methods include pharmacological and psychological techniques.

Mental disorders are classified as a psychological condition marked primarily by sufficient disorganization of personality, mind, and emotions to seriously impair the normal psychological and often social functioning of the individual. Individuals diagnosed with certain mental disorders can be unable to function normally in society. Mental disorders may consist of several affective, behavioral, cognitive and perceptual components. The acknowledgement and understanding of mental health conditions has changed over time and across cultures. There are still variations in the definition, classification, and treatment of mental disorders.

Management of depression is the treatment of depression that may involve a number of different therapies: medications, behavior therapy, psychotherapy, and medical devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Depression in childhood and adolescence</span> Pediatric depressive disorders

Depression is a mental disorder characterized by prolonged unhappiness or irritability, accompanied by a constellation of somatic and cognitive signs and symptoms such as fatigue, apathy, sleep problems, loss of appetite, loss of engagement. low self-regard/worthlessness, difficulty concentrating/indecisiveness, or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. Depression in childhood and adolescence is similar to adult major depressive disorder, although young sufferers may exhibit increased irritability or behavioral dyscontrol instead of the more common sad, empty, or hopeless feelings seen with adults. Children who are under stress, experiencing loss, or have other underlying disorders are at a higher risk for depression. Childhood depression is often comorbid with mental disorders outside of other mood disorders; most commonly anxiety disorder and conduct disorder. Depression also tends to run in families. In a 2016 Cochrane review cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), third-wave CBT and interpersonal therapy demonstrated small positive benefits in the prevention of depression. Psychologists have developed different treatments to assist children and adolescents suffering from depression, though the legitimacy of the diagnosis of childhood depression as a psychiatric disorder, as well as the efficacy of various methods of assessment and treatment, remains controversial.

Late-life depression refers to depression occurring in older adults and has diverse presentations, including as a recurrence of early-onset depression, a new diagnosis of late-onset depression, and a mood disorder resulting from a separate medical condition, substance use, or medication regimen. Research regarding late-life depression often focuses on late-onset depression, which is defined as a major depressive episode occurring for the first time in an older person.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melancholic depression</span> Medical condition

Melancholic depression, or depression with melancholic features, is a DSM-IV and DSM-5 specifier of depressive disorders. This type of depression has specific symptoms that make it different from the standard clinical depression list of symptoms. Furthermore, melancholic depression has a specific subset of causes and can respond differently to treatment than other clinical depression types.

Occupational therapy is used to manage the issues caused by seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Occupational therapists assist with the management of SAD through the incorporation of a variety of healthcare disciplines into therapeutic practice. Potential patients with SAD are assessed, treated, and evaluated primarily using treatments such as drug therapies, light therapies, and psychological therapies. Therapists are often involved in designing an individualised treatment plan that most effectively meets the client's goals and needs around their responsiveness to a variety of treatments.

Ellen Frank is a psychologist and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh. She is known in the field of Psychotherapy as one of the developers of Interpersonal and Social Rhythm Therapy, which aims to treat bipolar disorder by correcting disruptions in the circadian rhythm while promoting increased regularity of daily social routines. Frank is the co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of HealthRhythms, a company that uses mobile technology to monitor the health and mental health of clients, facilitate the detection of changes in their status, and better manage mental health conditions.

Steven D. Hollon is an American psychologist, academic and researcher. He is the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "National University of Singapore Awards 2014" . Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  2. "Adjunct Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences" . Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Vice Dean Appointment at Duke-NUS, 2008" . Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "A. John Rush Biography" . Retrieved September 28, 2015.
  5. Beck, Aaron; Rush, Augustus; Shaw, Brian; Emery, Gary (1979). Cognitive Therapy of Depression.
  6. "World's Most Influential Scientific Minds, 2014". Archived from the original on 2015-09-06. Retrieved September 28, 2015.