Dr. Robert M. Post is a distinguished psychiatrist renowned for his pioneering work in mood disorder research and treatment. He served for 35 years at the National Institute of Mental Health, where he spent 20 years as Chief of the Biological Psychiatry Branch, establishing himself as a leading authority in the field. Currently, he holds the position of Professor of Psychiatry at the George Washington School of Medicine and serves as Head of the Bipolar Collaborative Network. Dr. Post has dedicated his career to advancing the understanding of complex psychiatric conditions, particularly focusing on treatment-resistant cases. His leadership extends to his role as a Scientific Council Member of the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation since 1992.
Dr. Post's most significant contribution was pioneering the use of carbamazepine as an alternative treatment for bipolar patients who did not respond to lithium therapy, expanding therapeutic options for refractory cases. His research group at NIMH was instrumental in exploring nonconvulsive brain stimulation with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for treating both unipolar and bipolar depression, opening new avenues for intervention. Through extensive animal studies, Dr. Post re-conceptualized affective illness recurrence at the molecular level, identifying cyclic alterations in gene expression that underlie mood disorder progression. His groundbreaking work established the importance of early, long-term treatment to prevent the progressive worsening of mood disorders, including cycle acceleration and treatment resistance. These insights have fundamentally reshaped clinical approaches to managing bipolar illness and have influenced treatment guidelines worldwide.
In recognition of his exceptional contributions, Dr. Post received the prestigious 1993 Selo Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Depression Research, also known as the Colvin Prize. He founded the International Stanley Foundation Bipolar Network, which evolved into the current Bipolar Collaborative Network, creating a vital infrastructure for multi-center research in bipolar disorder. Dr. Post continues to advance the field through his private practice, where he focuses specifically on addressing the complex challenges of childhood-onset bipolar illness. His conceptual framework regarding illness progression continues to guide contemporary research on mood disorders and informs preventive treatment strategies. Dr. Post remains actively engaged in translating neurobiological findings into clinical practice, ensuring that his decades of research continue to benefit patients struggling with severe mood disorders.
