By Sarah Kuper
One of the nation’s leading researchers in the field of psychiatry will speak at Aware Mountain Brook’s April 26 event.
Dr. Richard Shelton, head of the UAB Mood Disorders Research Center and vice chair for research in the department, is focusing on two important strategies in treating depression.
He and his colleagues are testing medications that may work more quickly to help suicidal individuals.
“Right now, treatments may take weeks and months before patients see a change. We are working on medications that will work in 24 hours,” he said.
He also is researching a method, called predictive analysis, to improve predictions of who is likely to develop depression disorders.
“Through this information gathering, we would like to find a way to identify if a child is likely to become suicidal or depressed so we can intervene and they never get sick in the first place,” Shelton said.
As with other emerging medical research, psychiatrists such as Shelton are taking a more proactive approach to preventing depression rather than only reacting with treatment.
Shelton said he will speak on these two developments at the Aware event.
Through his talk, he hopes to raise awareness about mental health issues but also to give hope to those affected.
“I want to give people a sense of great encouragement. We have some brand new, exciting data and the treatments we are working on could be widely available in just three or four years,” Shelton said.
He said he knows many people are involved with Aware because of a personal or family member’s experience with depression. Shelton said any medical or community partnership with Aware is critical because it helps reach those affected more personally.
“It is one thing to identify and diagnose someone as depressed but another thing to get them connected to help fast. There is often no time to waste,” he said.
Shelton will speak at 6 p.m. at Crestline Elementary.
He will also be giving a more detailed review of his research at the UAB Neuroscience Café on May 9 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Peter’s Anglican Church.
