Click here to return to the previous page

Murray A. Raskind MD Professor Vice-Chair Director, Mental Health Service, VAPSHCS murray.raskind@va.gov Phone: (206) 768-5375 Fax: (206) 764-2573 Site: VA Puget Sound Health Care System VA Seattle 1660 S. Columbian Way, (S-116) Box 358280 Seattle, WA 98108 Link to CV Division Geriatrics Health Services and Psychiatric Epidemiology Psychiatric Neurosciences Link to Website Board Certification American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty

Bio Alzheimer's Disease and Noradrenergic Systems: This project, a component of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC), addresses the functional status of central noradrenergic systems in Alzheimer's disease in clinical and postmortem brain tissue. Responses of cerebrospinal fluid norepinephrine to alpha-2 adrenergic agonists and antagonists are being measured. Tyrosine hydroxylase gene expression in the locus ceruleus is being quantified by in situ hybridization histochemistry. Psychopathology of Alzheimer's Disease: Psychoneuroendocrinology: This project funded by an R01 grant from NIA and Merit Review Grant by the BA explores hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis function in aging and Alzheimer's disease. Because high glucocorticoid concentrations appera ro endanger hippocampal neurons in older mammals, enhanced HPA axis responsiveness in human aging is a potential contributing factor to the clinical expressino of Alzheimer's disease. Studies in human subjects and in nonhuman primates are addressing this possibility.