Mental Health and Its Disorders
Prof. Alexander B. Niculescu, MD, PhD
Perceived psychological and physical trauma and the learned responses to it (stress and pain, i.e. Post-traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) and and Post-traumatic Pain Disorder (PTPD)) can affect the mind (anxiety, mood, and cognition). Addictions can temporarily blunt the trauma response. Cognition consists of input, which can be affected by external distractions (ADHD) or internal ones (psychotic hallucinations). Processing and retaining of information can be affected by psychotic delusions and memory disorders like Alzheimer’s Disease. Output can be intelligent or odd and maladaptive, including suicides, violence, and addictions.
We test with digital tools and blood biomarkers for most of these disorders, and provide patients and clinicians personalized treatment suggestions.