Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program

Phone: 416-480-5328
Fax: 416-480-6818
Administrative Assistant: Maria Rowena Bichara
Email: mariarowena.bichara@sunnybrook.ca

Education:

• BSc., 2001, honours science, York University, Canada
• MSc, 2005, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Canada
• MD, 2009, University of Toronto, Canada
• FRCPC, 2014, psychiatry, University of Toronto
• FRCPC, 2016, child and adolescent psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Associate scientist, evaluative clinical sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Staff psychiatrist, Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program, Youth Urgent Assessment Clinic, division of youth psychiatry, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Assistant professor, department of psychiatry, University of Toronto

Research Foci:

• Mood disorders
• Bipolar disorder
• Adolescents
• Sex and gender differences
• Suicide prevention

Research Summary:

Dr. Mitchell’s research focuses on sex and gender differences in mood disorders in adolescence. It encompasses several disciplines, including epidemiology, neuroimaging, and psychosocial treatment, in effort to clearly and broadly characterize sex- and gender-specific similarities and differences among adolescents with mood disorders during this formative period. Two main foci for her work are:

1. self-harm and suicide-related-behaviour, as sex and gender differences are the rule not the exception; and
2. bipolar disorder, as the female-to-male prevalence is ~2:1 at no other point in the lifespan.

The overarching goal is to contribute to the development of effective and personalized interventions, at the earliest stages of illness, to reduce the overwhelming burden of mood disorders in adolescents into adulthood.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Mitchell RHB, Hower H, Birmaher B, Strober M, Merranko J, Rooks B, Goldstein T, Hunt J, Dickstein D, Diler R, Ryan N, Gill MK, Axelson D, Keller M, Yen S, Goldstein BI. Sex differences in the longitudinal course and outcome of bipolar disorder in youth. J Clin Psychiatry; 2020;81(6):19m13159. Impact Factor: 4.57. doi: 10.4088/JCP.19m13159 Principal
   
   
2. Sinyor M, Williams M, Mitchel RHB, Zaheer R, Bryan C, Schaffer A, Westreich N, Ellis J, Goldstein BI, Cheung A, Selchen S, Kiss A, Tien H. Cognitive behavioral therapy for suicide prevention in youth admitted to hospital following an episode of self-harm: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2020 April; 266:686-694. Coauthor or collaborator.

3. Mitchell RHB, Metcalfe AWS, Islam AH, Toma S, Patel R, Fiksenbaum L, Korczak D, MacIntosh BJ, Goldstein BI. Sex Differences in Brain Structure Among Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder. Bipolar Disorders. 2018;20(5):448-458. Impact Factor: 4.49. Principal Author.
   
   
4. Mitchell RHB, Goldstein BI. Prevalence and Correlates of Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder in Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. 2016;26(2):1-7. Impact Factor: 2.90. Principal Author.
   
   
5. Mitchell, RHB and Goldstein, BI. Inflammation in children and adolescents with neuropsychiatric disorders: a systematic review. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 2014;53(3):274-296. Impact Factor: 6.25. Principal Author.

Related News and Stories:

• Pandemic online learning taking a toll on children’s mental health – CBC The National (Sept. 1, 2021)
• Psychiatrist takes calls on kids’ mental health – CBC Radio (April 28, 2021)
• How to strike a balance when talking to children about the coronavirus pandemic – The Globe and Mail (March 16, 2020)
• Talking to Kids about COVID-19 – CBC The National (March 16, 2020)
• Sex Differences not significant for youth bipolar disorder outcomes – Healio News (Nov. 2, 2020) 
• The Power of Two: We Are Sunnybrook – Sunnybrook Magazine (Fall 2019)
• Youth mental health – CBC Morning (July 4, 2019)
• Teenage Depression – CBC The National Facebook Live