Anita Clayton, MD, discusses developing treatments for major depressive disorders

Anita Clayton, MD, Chair, Department of Psychiatry & Neurobehavioral Sciences
Transcript:
What I love about my research is filling unmet needs of patients by making new and innovative treatments available, and in the process, reducing stigma and bias associated with major depressive disorder, postpartum depression, sexual dysfunction associated with psychiatric illness, and medication treatments, and female sexual dysfunction. The link is neuroactive. Steroids and neurotransmitters.
I'm Anita Clayton, professor and chair of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences here at UVA. For many years, I've helped develop treatments for major depressive disorder, primarily monoamine reuptake inhibitors, but most recently for postpartum depression with novel mechanisms of action, including alpha pregnant alone analogs, psychedelics, specifically psilocybin and kappa opioid receptor antagonists.
I hope my research will impact human health by advancing new treatments for patients who have not responded to current therapies with the promise of new options that treat major depressive disorder or postpartum depression to remission and restore quality of life.