Health

Balancing Act

During the manic or mixed states,
mood stabilizing drugs such as lithium,
valproate or carbamazepine work well in
keeping the patient stable. While these
drugs also can be helpful in lifting
depression, anti-depressants are often
carefully added to bring a patient out of
these episodes.
JILL DAVIDSON SKLAR
The drug which Rosenbaum's group
and 60 other centers around the world
Special to The Jewish News
is testing has received Federal Food and
r. Alan Rosenbaum would
Drug Administration approval as an
someday like to tell his
anti-seizure medication. It also has the
patients that there is a cure
added bonus of being a powerful anti-
for bipolar disorder, com-
depressant, removing the need to add
monly known as manic depression.
other anti-depressants during a low
But for now, the Farmington Hills
cycle, Rosenbaum said.
psychiatrist is just trying to make the
"So far, we are really pleased with
treatment of the disease a little easier on
what we have seen," he said.
his patients.
"If it helps keep you stable, that
Rosenbaum, founder and president
would be great, even if it helps 25 to 30
of Psychopharmacology Research
percent of patients."
Associates P.C., on Orchard Lake Road,
The other upside to the drug is that
is currently testing the effects of a pow-
it can be started in a low state or a high
erful anti-seizure drug. The drug has
state, with rapid cyclers and with those
proven in early trials to be effective in
who have longer cycles.
treating manic depressive illness without
"The patients will have more
increasing mood
choices for treat-
swings — a frequent
ment, number one,"
side effect of anti-
Rosenbaum said.
depressants.
"Number two, they
"So far, we are
will have a drug that
seeing very good
will lift their mood
results," he said.
and not make them
Bipolar disorder is a
manic."
mental condition
Born and raised
marked by mood
in Detroit, Dr.
swings from a
Rosenbaum graduat-
euphoric mania to a
ed from Mumford
deep depression that
High School and
are out of proportion
attended the
or completely unre-
University of
lated to the events in
Michigan, where he
the individual's life.
earned a master's
The research is
degree in pharmacol-
Dr. Alan Rosenbaum is helping to
important to Jews
ogy and a medical
stabilize patients.
because the rate of
degree.
bipolar disorder in
While he always
Jews is double what
wanted to be a doctor, it wasn't until he
it is in the general population,
was a resident at the Mayo Clinic in
Rosenbaum said.
Rochester, Minn., that he became
While 0.5 percent of the general
intrigued during a rotation in the psy-
population suffers from bipolar disorder, chiatry department. He shelved plans to
the Jewish community sees about 1 per-
become a gastroenterologist and later
cent of its members — most frequently
joined the Mayo Clinic staff, where he
in multiple generations of a family —
remained for about a decade.
affected by the disease.
He returned to this area and served
While it is not a rare disease, bipo-
as department head in psychiatry at
lar disorder is a difficult disease to
McCauley Health Systems in Ann
diagnose. Often, patients see several
Arbor and at Harper Hospital in
doctors and wait a significant time
Detroit. While holding those positions,
before a correct diagnosis is made,
Rosenbaum, a member of Temple Israel,
Rosenbaum said.
has spent the past 25 years doing clini-
Currently, physicians use a variety of
cal studies of drugs for therapy in such
drugs to treat the disorder, all having
areas as obsessive compulsive disorder,
various degrees of success with each
premenstrual syndrome and Alzheimer's
kind of manic-depression.
disease. ❑

A local psychiatrist helps
people with bipolar
disorder by testing
cutting-edge medications.

D

THESE

Two

PEOPLE

HAVE ALREADY

PLAYED AN

IMPORTANT ROLE

IN MEDICINE.

Jonas Salk
Inventor of polio vaccine

Anna Freud
Pioneer in child psychology

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN.

With 2,500 members, the Sinai

language interpretation for Russian

Hospital Guild is making its own

immigrants. In addition, the Guild

strides in medicine. Our volunteers

provides funding for numerous Sinai

assist both patients and medical staff

Hospital programs including Tay-

at Sinai Hospital and its ambulatory

Sachs screening and cardiology

centers throughout the community.

research. But we couldn't do any of

They also sponsor programs which

this without our Guild members and

aid the elderly, such as Sinai Lifeline

volunteers. Find out how you can make

and Service with Love, as well as offer

a difference, call (313) 493-5300.

Wayne State University

Sinai
Hospital

March Events:

Purim Program—Distribution of Purim Packages

April Events:

Project Health-O-Rama Free Health Screenings at Sinai

Rehabilitation Volunteer Award Luncheon

2/20
1998

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