Doug Bremner
Encyclopedia
James Douglas Bremner, M.D., (born June 5, 1961) is a physician, researcher, and writer based in Atlanta, Georgia. He has conducted research on Posttraumatic stress disorder and the relationship between Depression
and suicide
and the acne
drug Accutane (Roaccutane, or isotretinoin
).
and was raised in Olympia, Washington
. He received a B.A. in English literature from the University of Puget Sound
, and a medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine
. He did residencies in psychiatry
and nuclear medicine
at the Yale University School of Medicine.
in Atlanta, Georgia
and Director of Mental Health Research at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia
since 2000.
Bremner's brain imaging studies showed smaller volume of the hippocampus
in Post traumatic stress disorder related to childhood abuse or Vietnam combat. These studies and others resulted in him being one of the most highly cited researchers in the field of Post traumatic stress disorder.
Bremner's research used PET brain imaging to show a decrease in frontal lobe brain function in acne patients treated with Accutane (isotretinoin
). He was an expert witness in litigation related to the relationship between Accutane and suicide and depression, including the case of Charles J. Bishop, which he describes in the narrative non-fiction book, The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg.
Bremner's activities as a healthcare consumer advocate and activist include authorship of Before You Take That Pill: Why the Drug Industry May Be Bad for Your Health: Risks and Side Effects You Won't Find on the Label of Commonly Prescribed Drugs, Vitamins, and Supplements. He is frequently quoted in the media in stories related to risks of prescription medications. He has also appeared multiple times on CNN HLN (TV channel) and truTV discussing medical and mental health aspects of crime stories in the news. He was an active participant in protests related to the Grady Memorial Hospital
dialysis crisis of 2009 which resulted in a successful outcome for the affected patients.
Bremner has authored or co-authored over 200 peer review
ed scientific articles, book chapters, and books in the field of PTSD, depression, and drug safety,
He is on the editorial board
s of several journals and the Scientific Advisory and Executive Boards of several foundations dedicated to promoting mental health of military personnel deployed to the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan (2001-present). He has received several awards for his work, including the Chaim and Bela Danieli Award for Research and Service in Traumatic Stress from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
.
Bremner is also a screenwriter with awards including Quarterfinalist at the 2011 PAGE International Screenwriters Awards.
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
and suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
and the acne
Acne
Acne is a general term used for acneiform eruptions. It is usually used as a synonym for acne vulgaris, but may also refer to:*Acne aestivalis*Acne conglobata*Acne cosmetica*Acne fulminans*Acne keloidalis nuchae*Acne mechanica...
drug Accutane (Roaccutane, or isotretinoin
Isotretinoin
Isotretinoin, INN, is a medication used mostly for cystic acne. It was first developed for brain, pancreatic and other cancers. It is used to treat harlequin-type ichthyosis, a usually lethal skin disease, and lamellar ichthyosis. Its effects are systemic and nonselective...
).
Early life and education
Bremner was born in Topeka, KansasTopeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
and was raised in Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. He received a B.A. in English literature from the University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
, and a medical degree from Duke University School of Medicine
Duke University School of Medicine
The Duke University School of Medicine is Duke University's medical school operating under the auspices of the Duke University Medical Center. Established in 1925 by James B...
. He did residencies in psychiatry
Psychiatry
Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
and nuclear medicine
Nuclear medicine
In nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
at the Yale University School of Medicine.
Career
Bremner was an assistant and associate professor of psychiatry and radiology at the Yale University School of Medicine and National Center for PTSD from 1991-2000 and Professor of Psychiatry and Radiology, Director of the Emory Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit at the Emory University School of MedicineEmory University School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine, a component of Emory’s Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center, is ranked among the nation’s institutions for biomedical education and research...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and Director of Mental Health Research at the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia
Decatur, Georgia
Decatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
since 2000.
Bremner's brain imaging studies showed smaller volume of the hippocampus
Hippocampus
The hippocampus is a major component of the brains of humans and other vertebrates. It belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation. Humans and other mammals have two hippocampi, one in...
in Post traumatic stress disorder related to childhood abuse or Vietnam combat. These studies and others resulted in him being one of the most highly cited researchers in the field of Post traumatic stress disorder.
Bremner's research used PET brain imaging to show a decrease in frontal lobe brain function in acne patients treated with Accutane (isotretinoin
Isotretinoin
Isotretinoin, INN, is a medication used mostly for cystic acne. It was first developed for brain, pancreatic and other cancers. It is used to treat harlequin-type ichthyosis, a usually lethal skin disease, and lamellar ichthyosis. Its effects are systemic and nonselective...
). He was an expert witness in litigation related to the relationship between Accutane and suicide and depression, including the case of Charles J. Bishop, which he describes in the narrative non-fiction book, The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg.
Bremner's activities as a healthcare consumer advocate and activist include authorship of Before You Take That Pill: Why the Drug Industry May Be Bad for Your Health: Risks and Side Effects You Won't Find on the Label of Commonly Prescribed Drugs, Vitamins, and Supplements. He is frequently quoted in the media in stories related to risks of prescription medications. He has also appeared multiple times on CNN HLN (TV channel) and truTV discussing medical and mental health aspects of crime stories in the news. He was an active participant in protests related to the Grady Memorial Hospital
Grady Memorial Hospital
Grady Memorial Hospital, frequently referred to as Grady Hospital or simply Grady, is the largest hospital in the state of Georgia and the public hospital for the city of Atlanta. It is the 5th largest public hospital in the United States, as well as one the busiest Level I trauma centers in the...
dialysis crisis of 2009 which resulted in a successful outcome for the affected patients.
Bremner has authored or co-authored over 200 peer review
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
ed scientific articles, book chapters, and books in the field of PTSD, depression, and drug safety,
He is on the editorial board
Editorial board
The editorial board is a group of people, usually at a publication, who dictate the tone and direction the publication's editorial policy will take.- Board makeup :...
s of several journals and the Scientific Advisory and Executive Boards of several foundations dedicated to promoting mental health of military personnel deployed to the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan (2001-present). He has received several awards for his work, including the Chaim and Bela Danieli Award for Research and Service in Traumatic Stress from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, , was established on March 2, 1985 in Washington, D.C. for professionals to share information about the effects of trauma...
.
Bremner is also a screenwriter with awards including Quarterfinalist at the 2011 PAGE International Screenwriters Awards.