MUSC Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences

08/21/2026

Dr. Sudie E. Back and other collaborators released a new publication in the Journal of BMJ Open titled "MDMA-assisted PTSD and Alcohol Therapy Trial (MPATHY): study protocol for a double-blind, randomized, controlled outpatient trial of MDMA-assisted integrated exposure-based therapy for comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder."

Read here: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2025-114896

08/20/2026

Dr. Mark S. George and other collaborators released a new publication in the American Journal of Psychiatry titled "Convergent Network Localization of Brain Stimulation Targets for Trait Anxiety."

Read here: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.20250198

08/19/2026

Saying “no” to a research study doesn't always mean saying “no” to help.

That's what Dr. Erin McClure, Dr. Kelly Barth and their MUSC colleagues at the MUSC Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences found when they looked more closely at patients who chose not to participate in a study after being treated for an opioid overdose.

Many of those patients still wanted treatment for substance use. For some, it simply wasn't the right time.

By understanding what was behind those decisions, the team hopes to find better ways to connect with patients and make research easier for more people to take part in.

Read more about what they learned: https://musc.co/4wpIqaQ

08/19/2026

Lauren Mello (pictured right), a research coordinator for clinical trials in the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, presented at the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention.

Her project titled, “Sleep-Eating Connection: A Systematic Review of Trends, Methods, and Gaps” synthesizes evidence on the relationship between sleep disturbance and eating behaviors, to better understand the role of sleep health in shaping eating behaviors. She was mentored by Dr. Casie Morgan in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division.

08/18/2026

Dr. Tracy Smith and other collaborators released a new publication in the JAMA Network titled "Compensatory Smoking With Very Low Ni****ne Content Ci******es: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis."

Read here: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.22543

08/17/2026

Dr. Leah Holcomb and other collaborators released a new publication in the BMC Pediatrics titled "Early pharmacotherapy versus no pharmacotherapy: difference in skin conductance response to physical stimuli in infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome."

Read here: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-026-07316-1

08/14/2026

Dr. Lisa McTeague and other collaborators released a publication in the JMIR Neurotechnology titled "Feasibility of Interleaving Computerized Cognitive Training With Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation: Pilot Studies in Mild Cognitive Impairment Due to Alzheimer's Disease and Stroke."

Read here: https://doi.org/10.2196/81437

08/13/2026

08/12/2026

A MUSC Psychiatry study supported by NIH/NIAAA was featured on Recovery Research Institute in an article titled "Can a low-cost, over-the-counter supplement help treat co-occurring PTSD and alcohol use disorder?”.

Read here:

In this geospatial modeling analysis done in Ohio, more than a third of opioid use disorder treatment need was outside a 15-minute drive time of an Opioid Treatment Program to access methadone trea…

08/11/2026

Dr. Erin Seery was quoted in a PsychiatryOnline -Psychiatry News article for the August edition titled "Finding Your Path." Two psychiatrist-psychotherapists discuss exploring psychotherapy in residency—from which modality to focus on to what a typical day looks like.

Read here: https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2026.08.8.5