Helen Lavretsky, M.D.

Professor In-Residence, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences

Professor in-Residence, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior

Biography

Dr. Helen Lavretsky is a Professor In-Residence in the Department of Psychiatry at UCLA and a geriatric integrative psychiatrist with federally funded research program in geriatric depression and integrative mental health (NIMH, PCORI, and NCCIH) using mind-body interventions. She is a recipient of the Career Development award from NIMH and the NCCIH, and other prestigious research awards. Her current research studies include investigations of psychopharmacological treatment of geriatric depression, mild cognitive impairment and the use of Tai Chi and yoga for treatment and prevention of late-life mood and cognitive disorders. She is the Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the Fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and the recipient of the Distinguished Investigator awards for research in geriatric psychiatry from the American College of Psychiatrists and the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. She is the Semel Scholar in Integrative Mental Health and the Director of the Late-life mood, stress and wellness program and the Integrative Psychiatry clinic

Jain Felipe A, Gitlin Michael, Lavretsky Helen   Rapid Response of Major Depressive Disorder and Comorbid Eating Disorder NOS to a Novel Meditation Intervention Psychosomatics, 2012; 53(4): 401-2.

Merrill David A, Siddarth Prabha, Saito Nathan Y, Ercoli Linda M, Burggren Alison C, Kepe Vladimir, Lavretsky Helen, Miller Karen J, Kim Jeanne, Huang S C, Bookheimer Susan Y, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   Self-reported memory impairment and brain PET of amyloid and tau in middle-aged and older adults without dementia International psychogeriatrics / IPA, 2012; 24(7): 1076-84.

Black David S, Cole Steve W, Irwin Michael R, Breen Elizabeth, St Cyr Natalie M, Nazarian Nora, Khalsa Dharma S, Lavretsky Helen   Yogic meditation reverses NF-κB and IRF-related transcriptome dynamics in leukocytes of family dementia caregivers in a randomized controlled trial Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2012; .

Small Gary W, Siddarth Prabha, Kepe Vladimir, Ercoli Linda M, Burggren Alison C, Bookheimer Susan Y, Miller Karen J, Kim Jeanne, Lavretsky Helen, Huang S-C, Barrio Jorge R   Prediction of cognitive decline by positron emission tomography of brain amyloid and tau Archives of neurology, 2012; 69(2): 215-22.

Lavretsky Helen, Alstein Lily L, Olmstead Richard E, Ercoli Linda M, Riparetti-Brown Marquertie, Cyr Natalie St, Irwin Michael R   Complementary use of tai chi chih augments escitalopram treatment of geriatric depression: a randomized controlled trial The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2011; 19(10): 839-50.

Schneider Brooke, Ercoli Linda, Siddarth Prabha, Lavretsky Helen   Vascular Burden and Cognitive Functioning in Depressed Older Adults The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2011; 19(10): .

Meeks Thomas W, Vahia Ipsit V, Lavretsky Helen, Kulkarni Ganesh, Jeste Dilip V   A tune in "a minor" can "b major": a review of epidemiology, illness course, and public health implications of subthreshold depression in older adults Journal of affective disorders, 2011; 129(1-3): 126-42.

Lavretsky Helen, Zheng Ling, Weiner Michael W, Mungas Dan, Reed Bruce, Kramer Joel H, Jagust William, Chui Helena, Mack Wendy J   Association of depressed mood and mortality in older adults with and without cognitive impairment in a prospective naturalistic study The American journal of psychiatry, 2010; 167(5): 589-97.

Cho Hyong Jin, Lavretsky Helen, Olmstead Richard, Levin Myron, Oxman Michael N, Irwin Michael R   Prior depression history and deterioration of physical health in community-dwelling older adults--a prospective cohort study The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2010; 18(5): 442-51.

Lavretsky Helen, Siddarth Prabha, Irwin Michael R   Improving depression and enhancing resilience in family dementia caregivers: a pilot randomized placebo-controlled trial of escitalopram The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2010; 18(2): 154-62.

Mueller Susanne G, Mack Wendy J, Mungas Dan, Kramer Joel H, Cardenas-Nicolson Valerie, Lavretsky Helen, Greene Maxwell, Schuff Norbert, Chui Helena C, Weiner Michael W   Influences of lobar gray matter and white matter lesion load on cognition and mood Psychiatry research, 2010; 181(2): 90-6.

Lavretsky Helen, Siddarth Prabha, Kepe Vladimir, Ercoli Linda M, Miller Karen J, Burggren Alison C, Bookheimer Susan Y, Huang Sung-Cheng, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   Depression and anxiety symptoms are associated with cerebral FDDNP-PET binding in middle-aged and older nondemented adults The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2009; 17(6): 493-502.

Ercoli Linda M, Siddarth Prabha, Kepe Vladimir, Miller Karen J, Huang S-C, Cole Gregory M, Lavretsky Helen, Bookheimer Susan Y, Kim Jeanne, Phelps Michael E, Barrio Jorge R, Small Gary W   Differential FDDNP PET patterns in nondemented middle-aged and older adults The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2009; 17(5): 397-406.

Lavretsky Helen   Complementary and alternative medicine use for treatment and prevention of late-life mood and cognitive disorders Aging health, 2009; 5(1): 61-78.

Small Gary W, Siddarth Prabha, Burggren Alison C, Kepe Vladimir, Ercoli Linda M, Miller Karen J, Lavretsky Helen, Thompson Paul M, Cole Greg M, Huang S C, Phelps Michael E, Bookheimer Susan Y, Barrio Jorge R   Influence of cognitive status, age, and APOE-4 genetic risk on brain FDDNP positron-emission tomography imaging in persons without dementia Archives of general psychiatry, 2009; 66(1): 81-7.

Small Gary W, Siddarth Prabha, Silverman Daniel H S, Ercoli Linda M, Miller Karen J, Lavretsky Helen, Bookheimer Susan Y, Huang S-C, Barrio Jorge R, Phelps Michael E   Cognitive and cerebral metabolic effects of celecoxib versus placebo in people with age-related memory loss: randomized controlled study The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2008; 16(12): 999-1009.

Cho Hyong Jin, Lavretsky Helen, Olmstead Richard, Levin Myron J, Oxman Michael N, Irwin Michael R   Sleep disturbance and depression recurrence in community-dwelling older adults: a prospective study The American journal of psychiatry, 2008; 165(12): 1543-50.

Lavretsky Helen, Zheng Ling, Weiner Michael W, Mungas Dan, Reed Bruce, Kramer Joel H, Jagust William, Chui Helena, Mack Wendy J   The MRI brain correlates of depressed mood, anhedonia, apathy, and anergia in older adults with and without cognitive impairment or dementia International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2008; 23(10): 1040-50.

Elderkin-Thompson Virginia, Ballmaier Martina, Hellemann Gerhard, Pham Daniel, Lavretsky Helen, Kumar Anand   Daily functioning and prefrontal brain morphology in healthy and depressed community-dwelling elderly The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2008; 16(8): 633-42.

Lavretsky Helen   Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer disease and related disorders: why do treatments work in clinical practice but not in the randomized trials? The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2008; 16(7): 523-7.

Lavretsky H, Zheng L, Weiner MW, Mungas D, Reed B, Kramer JH, Jagust W, Chui H, Mack WJ.   Lavretsky H, Zheng L, Weiner MW, Mungas D, Reed B, Kramer JH, Jagust W, Chui H, International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2008; EPUB: .

Lavretsky H, Siddarth P, Wong M-L, Kumar A, Reynolds C.   Dopamine and serotonin transporter genetic polymorphisms: clinical features and treatment response in geriatric depression International Journal of Geriatirc Psychiatry, 2008; 2008(23(1)): 55-59.

Lavretsky Helen, Siddarth Prabha, Kumar Anand, Reynolds Charles F   The effects of the dopamine and serotonin transporter polymorphisms on clinical features and treatment response in geriatric depression: a pilot study International journal of geriatric psychiatry, 2008; 23(1): 55-9.

Lavretsky H, Ballmaier M, Pham D, Toga A, Kumar A.   Neuroanatomical characteristics of geriatric apathy and depression: a magnetic resonance imaging study, Americn Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2007; 2007 May;15(5):(15): 386-94. .

Lavretsky Helen, Ballmaier Martina, Pham Daniel, Toga Arthur, Kumar Anand   Neuroanatomical characteristics of geriatric apathy and depression: a magnetic resonance imaging study The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2007; 15(5): 386-94.

Elderkin-Thompson Virginia, Mintz Jim, Haroon Ebrahim, Lavretsky Helen, Kumar Anand   Executive dysfunction and memory in older patients with major and minor depression Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists, 2007; 22(2): 261-70.

Small Gary W, Kepe Vladimir, Ercoli Linda M, Siddarth Prabha, Bookheimer Susan Y, Miller Karen J, Lavretsky Helen, Burggren Alison C, Cole Greg M, Vinters Harry V, Thompson Paul M, Huang S-C, Satyamurthy N, Phelps Michael E, Barrio Jorge R   PET of brain amyloid and tau in mild cognitive impairment The New England journal of medicine, 2006; 355(25): 2652-63.

Elderkin-Thompson Virginia, Mintz Jim, Haroon Ebrahim, Lavretsky Helen, Kumar Anand   Executive dysfunction and memory in older patients with major and minor depression Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists, 2006; 21(7): 669-76.

Lavretsky H, Park S, Siddarth P, Kumar A, Reynolds CF 3rd.   Methylphenidate-enhanced antidepressant response to citalopram in the elderly: a Americn J of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2006; 14(2): 181-5.

Small Gary W, Silverman Daniel H S, Siddarth Prabha, Ercoli Linda M, Miller Karen J, Lavretsky Helen, Wright Benjamin C, Bookheimer Susan Y, Barrio Jorge R, Phelps Michael E   Effects of a 14-day healthy longevity lifestyle program on cognition and brain function The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2006; 14(6): 538-45.

Lavretsky Helen, Nguyen Lang Hai   Innovations: geriatric psychiatry: diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.), 2006; 57(5): 617-9.

Lavretsky Helen, Park Susan, Siddarth Prabha, Kumar Anand, Reynolds Charles F   Methylphenidate-enhanced antidepressant response to citalopram in the elderly: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2006; 14(2): 181-5.

Lavretsky Helen, Roybal Donna J, Ballmaier Martina, Toga Arthur W, Kumar Anand   Antidepressant exposure may protect against decrement in frontal gray matter volumes in geriatric depression The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 2005; 66(8): 964-7.

Rasgon Natalie L, Silverman Daniel, Siddarth Prabha, Miller Karen, Ercoli Linda M, Elman Shana, Lavretsky Helen, Huang S-C, Phelps Michael E, Small Gary W   Estrogen use and brain metabolic change in postmenopausal women Neurobiology of aging, 2005; 26(2): 229-35.

Lavretsky Helen, Kurbanyan Kristina, Ballmaier Martina, Mintz Jim, Toga Arthur, Kumar Anand   Sex differences in brain structure in geriatric depression The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2005; 12(6): 653-7.

Roose Steven P, Sackeim Harold A, Krishnan K Ranga Rama, Pollock Bruce G, Alexopoulos George, Lavretsky Helen, Katz Ira R, Hakkarainen Heikki, Hakkarainen Heikki   Antidepressant pharmacotherapy in the treatment of depression in the very old: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial The American journal of psychiatry, 2004; 161(11): 2050-9.

Ballmaier Martina, Kumar Anand, Thompson Paul M, Narr Katherine L, Lavretsky Helen, Estanol Laverne, Deluca Heather, Toga Arthur W   Localizing gray matter deficits in late-onset depression using computational cortical pattern matching methods The American journal of psychiatry, 2004; 161(11): 2091-9.

Elderkin-Thompson Virginia, Kumar Anand, Mintz Jim, Boone Kyle, Bahng Enjey, Lavretsky Helen   Executive dysfunction and visuospatial ability among depressed elders in a community setting Archives of clinical neuropsychology : the official journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists, 2004; 19(5): 597-611.

Ballmaier Martina, Sowell Elizabeth R, Thompson Paul M, Kumar Anand, Narr Katherine L, Lavretsky Helen, Welcome Suzanne E, DeLuca Heather, Toga Arthur W   Mapping brain size and cortical gray matter changes in elderly depression Biological psychiatry, 2004; 55(4): 382-9.

Lavretsky Helen, Kurbanyan Kristina, Kumar Anand   The significance of subsyndromal depression in geriatrics Current psychiatry reports, 2004; 6(1): 25-31.

Ballmaier Martina, Toga Arthur W, Blanton Rebecca E, Sowell Elizabeth R, Lavretsky Helen, Peterson Jeffrey, Pham Daniel, Kumar Anand   Anterior cingulate, gyrus rectus, and orbitofrontal abnormalities in elderly depressed patients: an MRI-based parcellation of the prefrontal cortex The American journal of psychiatry, 2004; 161(1): 99-108.

Lavretsky Helen, Ercoli Linda, Siddarth Prabha, Bookheimer Susan, Miller Karen, Small Gary   Apolipoprotein epsilon4 allele status, depressive symptoms, and cognitive decline in middle-aged and elderly persons without dementia The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2003; 11(6): 667-73.

Lavretsky Helen, Kim Moon-Doo, Kumar Anand, Reynolds Charles F   Combined treatment with methylphenidate and citalopram for accelerated response in the elderly: an open trial The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 2003; 64(12): 1410-4.

Lavretsky Helen   Therapy of depression in dementia Expert review of neurotherapeutics, 2003; 3(5): 631-9.

Lavretsky Helen, Kumar Anand   Practical geriatrics: clinically significant nonmajor geriatric depression Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.), 2003; 54(3): 297-9.

Lavretsky Helen, Kumar Anand   Clinically significant non-major depression: old concepts, new insights The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2002; 10(3): 239-55.

Salloway Stephen, Correia Stephen, Boyle Patricia, Malloy Paul, Schneider Lon, Lavretsky Helen, Sackheim Harold, Roose Steven, Krishnan K Ranga Rama   MRI subcortical hyperintensities in old and very old depressed outpatients: the important role of age in late-life depression Journal of the neurological sciences, 2002; 203-204(1): 227-33.

Lavretsky Helen, Bastani Roshan, Gould Robert, Huang David, Llorente Maria, Maxwell Annette, Jarvik Lissy, Jarvik Lissy   Predictors of two-year mortality in a prospective "UPBEAT" study of elderly veterans with comorbid medical and psychiatric symptoms The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, 2002; 10(4): 458-68.

Lavretsky Helen, Kitchen Christina, Mintz Jim, Kim Moon-Doo, Estanol Laverne, Kumar Anand   Medical burden, cerebrovascular disease, and cognitive impairment in geriatric depression: modeling the relationships with the CART analysis CNS spectrums, 2002; 7(10): 716-22.

Kumar Anand, Thomas Albert, Lavretsky Helen, Yue Kenneth, Huda Amir, Curran John, Venkatraman Talaignair, Estanol Laverne, Mintz Jim, Mega Michael, Toga Arthur   Frontal white matter biochemical abnormalities in late-life major depression detected with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy The American journal of psychiatry, 2002; 159(4): 630-6.