Scientist profiles A-F

Administrative Assistant: Colleen Barry
Phone: 416-480-4216
Email: colleen.barry@sunnybrook.ca

Education:

• M.B.B.Ch., 1980, University of Witwatersrand, South Africa
• M.R.C.Psych., 1988, University of London, U.K.
• M.Phil., 1990, Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, University of London, U.K.
• PhD, 1992, Institute of Neurology, University of London, U.K.
• FRCPC, 1996, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

Appointments and Affiliations:

• Associate scientist, Physical Sciences, Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program, Sunnybrook Research Institute
• Director, neuropsychiatry program, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
• Professor, department of psychiatry, University of Toronto
• Former chair, Medical Advisory Committee, MS Society of Canada

Research Foci:

• Neuropsychiatry of multiple sclerosis
• Stress and emotional health in front-line journalists
• Developing self-report rating scales to assess psychological illness

Research Summary:

Dr. Feinstein's multiple sclerosis (MS) research has delineated the natural history of cognitive and emotional abnormalities and how these correlate with brain pathology as visualized on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). His current MS work aims to develop novel computerized tests focused on attention, information processing speed and working memory. A series of studies is also in progress investigating the cognitive effects and functional brain changes associated with cannabis use in people with MS.

His post-traumatic stress disorder research has been funded by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Freedom Forum and is devoted to understanding how journalists cope with the hazards of reporting on war. His behavioural research in Namibia was funded by a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Dr. Feinstein is also doing collaborative work with the department of psychology in Botswana to develop self-report rating scales to assess psychological illness.

Selected Publications:

See current publications list at PubMed.

1. Feinstein A, Wanga J, Owen J. The psychological effects of reporting extreme violence: a study of Kenyan journalists. JRSM Open. 2015 Sep 22:6(9):2054270415602828.
2. Romero K, Pavisian B, Staines WR. Feinstein A. Multiple sclerosis, cannabis, and cognition: A structural MRI study. Neuroimage Clin. 2015 Apr 9;8:140–7.
3. Feinstein A, Freeman J, Lo A. Treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis: what works, what does not and what is needed. Lancet Neurol. 2015 Feb;14(2):194–207.
4. Burke M, Staines R, Ghaffar O, Downar J, Feinstein A. (201Functional neuroimaging of conversion disorder: the role of ancillary activation. Neuroimage Clin. 2014 Sep 30;6:333–9.
5. Feinstein A, Magalhaes S, Richard JF, Audet B, Moore C. The link between multiple sclerosis and depression. Nat Rev Neurol. 2014 Sep;10(9):507–17.

Books:

1. Feinstein A. Battle scarred: the hidden cost of the border war. Cape Town: Tafelberg Press; 2011.
2. Feinstein A. Michael Rabin. America's virtuoso. 2nd ed. Milwaukee: Amadeus Press; 2011.
3. Feinstein A. The clinical neuropsychiatry of multiple sclerosis. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2007.
4. Feinstein A. Journalists under fire: the psychological hazards of war reporting. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 2006.
5. Feinstein A. Hazardous lives: war and the men and women who report it. Toronto: Thomas Allen; 2003.

Films:

1. Burke M, Feinstein A. Under fire: journalists in combat. London: Mercury Media Entertainment; 2011.
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cnkcugPi1c 

Related News and Stories:

• Mild brain injury? That's a misnomer: Yes, there are degrees of severity when the brain is hurt, but concussions can have life-altering repercussions (SRI Magazine, 2017)
• Conflict Photographers: A passionate eye (The Globe and Mail, Oct. 22, 2015)
• Conflict Photographers: Humanity, in focus (The Globe and Mail, Sept. 21, 2015)
• Conflict Photographers: War and absence (The Globe and Mail, Aug. 25, 2015)
• Conflict Photographers: Capturing an emotion with empathy (The Globe and Mail, July 20, 2015)
• Conflict Photographers: Capturing a war crime (The Globe and Mail, June 21, 2015)
• Conflict Photographers: Three frames (The Globe and Mail, May 24, 2015)
• Clearing the fog: How one neuropsychiatrist is trying to improve access to cognitive testing and understand the effects of cannabis on multiple sclerosis (June 4, 2015)
• The MS cog fog: Neuropsychiatrist aims to detect and decipher dysfunctional cognition in this demyelinating disease of the brain and spinal cord (SRI Magazine, 2013)
• Congratulations Dr. Anthony Feinstein: Film produced by Sunnybrook’s “renaissance” psychiatrist wins prestigious award (April 2, 2013)
• The life and genius of Michael Rabin (BBC3 Radio documentary, Dec. 11, 2012)