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neuroscience

Dr Richard Whale

Academic positions: Course leader for MSc Psychiatry and Senior Lecturer in Mental Health at the Institute of Postgraduate Medicine, Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Clinical position: Neuropharmacology research lead for Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Dr Whale undertook undergraduate medical training at St George's Hospital, London University, going on to pursue postgraduate training in psychiatry in Oxford. He worked in the Neuroscience department at Oxford University, investigating serotonin function in depressive disorders for four years until moving to Brighton in 2000 to take up a Consultant Psychiatrist/Senior Lecturer post.

Research Interests:

Pharmacology of mood disorders and schizophrenia

Serotonin function in psychiatric disorders

Applied methods including neuroendocrinology, pharmacogenetics and systematic reviews

Publications

Peer Reviewed Articles:

  • Acute tryptophan depletion attenuates conscious appraisal of social emotional signals in healthy female volunteers. F Beacher, M Gray, L Minati, R Whale, N Harrison, H Critchley (2010) Psychopharmacology (2010) in press.

 

  • The acute effect of tryptophan depletion on serum neurotrophin levels (BDNF, FGF2 and S100B) in healthy subjects. R Whale, F Beacher, B Golding, P Gard, H Critchley. Psychopharmacology (2010) in press

 

  • How long have you been well? Remission as an outcome in schizophrenia. D Yeomans, M Taylor, A Currie, R Whale, K Forde, , C Fear, J Hynes, G Sullivan, B Moore, T Burns. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. (2010) 16: 86-95.
  • Pindolol augmentation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of depressive disorder: a systematic review. R Whale, T Terao, P Cowen, N Freemantle, J Geddes
    Journal of Psychopharmacology (2010); 24: 513-520.

 

 

  • Galactorrhoea may be associated with methadone use. J Bennett and R Whale.
    British Medical Journal (2006) 332: 1071

 

  • Risperidone augmentation decreases rapid eye movement sleep and decreases wake in treatment-resistant depressed patients. AL Sharpley, Z Bhagwagar, S Hafizi, R Whale, HJ Gijsman, PJ Cowen. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry (2003) 64/2:192-196

 

  • State and trait abnormalities in serotonin function in major depression. Z Bhagwager,R Whale, PJ Cowen. British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 180, 24-28

 

  • Low-dose citalopram as a 5-HT neuroendocrine probe. MJ Attenburrow, PR Mitter, R Whale, T Terao, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology (2001) 155, 323-326 Decreased sensitivity of 5-HT1D receptors in melancholic depression. R Whale, EM Clifford, Z Bhagwager, PJ Cowen. British Journal of Psychiatry (2001), 178, 454-457.

 

  • Serotonin transporter genotype influences the prolactin response to clomipramine. R Whale, DJ Quested, D Laver, P J Harrison, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology. (2000)150, 120-122.

 

  • Does Mirtazapine enhance serotonergic neurotransmission in depressed patients? R Whale, EM Clifford, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology (2000) 148: 325-326

 

  • Zolmitriptan induced growth hormone release in humans: mediation by 5-HT1D receptors? R Whale, Z Bhagwagar, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology (1999) 145/2: 223-226

 

  • Allelic variation in the 5-HT2c receptor (HTR2C) and functional responses to the 5-HT2c receptor agonist, m-chlorophenylpiperazine. DJ Quested, R Whale, A Sharpley, C McGavin, N Crossland, PJ Harrison, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology (1999) 144/3: 306-307

 

  • Effect of Penbutolol on neuroendocrine responses to buspirone and mood in SSRI refractory patients. EM Clifford, R Whale, T Sharp, PJ Cowen. Human Psychopharmacology (1999) 14/4: 273-277

 

  • Neuroendocrine evidence for dopaminergic actions of Hypericum extract (St John’s Wort) in healthy volunteers. M Franklin, J Chi, C McGavin, R Hockney, A Reed, G Campling, R Whale, PJ Cowen. Biological Psychiatry (1999) 46/4: 581-584

 

  • Antidepressant-like effect of Hypericum Perforatum (St John’s Wort) on the sleep polysomnogram. AL Sharpley, CL McGavin, R Whale, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology (1998) 139: 286-287

 

  • Sertraline treatment does not increase plasma prolactin levels in healthy subjects. C Gordon, R Whale, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology (1998) 137: 201-202

 

  • Sumatriptan lowers plasma prolactin in healthy female volunteers. R Whale, PJ Cowen. Psychopharmacology (1998) 137: 203-204

 

  • Probing the function of 5-HT1B/1D receptors in psychiatric patients. R Whale, PJ Cowen. CNS Spectrums 1998 3(8): 40-45

Group publications:

  • Progress in modern psychopharmacology: clinical experience with risperidone long-acting injectable in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders. Journal of Psychopharmacolgy 19(5) supplement. The StoRMi study group.

Letters:

  • High Serum Cholesterol and suicide risk. T Terao, R Whale. American Journal of Psychiatry 2001 158(5): 824

  • Re: Gynecomastia is associated with cannabis use Richard Whale, Jennifer Bennett. eBMJ 16 May 2006

Abstracts:

  • Baseline routine inflammatory markers do not predict switch to major depression in a cohort of interferon treated Hepatitis C patients. A Rose, C Lallement, P Hodges, J Eccles, M Keller, I Haq, J Tibble, R Whale. Presented at the British Association for Psychopharmacology Annual Meeting Harrogate 2010. Student award.
  • The acute effect of tryptophan depletion on serum FGF2 levels in healthy subjects R Whale, F Beacher, B Golding, P Gard, H Critchley. Presented at the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology meeting Hong Kong 2010

  • Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis hyperactivity is a baseline vulnerability factor for switch to depressive disorder following interferon treatment. J Eccles, C Lallemant, F Mushtaq, M Greenwood, M Keller, I Haq, J Tibble, R Whale. Presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology meeting Amsterdam 2010. Young researcher award.

  • Adoption of simple outcome measures in a busy Early Intervention for Psychosis team. V Lukats, L Taylor, G Kavanagh, K Greenwood, R Whale. Presented at Royal College of Psychiatry meeting Cardiff 2009

  • Metabolic syndrome and prolactin in subjects taking long acting antipsychotic injectable medication. R Whale, L Ball. Presented at the International College of Neuropsychopharmacology meeting Munich 2008.

  • Systematic review of pidolol augmentation of serotonergic antidepressant treatment for major depressive disorder. R Whale, T Terao, PJ Cowen, J Geddes. European Neuropsychopharmacolgy (2005) 15 (3): S420. Presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology meeting Amsterdam 2005.

  • Possible effect of mcpp and genetic variation of the 5-HT2C receptor on semantic priming in healthy volunteers. DJ Quested, J Williams, R Whale, K Parekh, PJ Harrison, PJ Cowen. Journal of Psychopharmacology (2004) 18 (3): A58. Presented at the British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) Annual Meeting 2004.

  • SSRI response in major depression: no correlation with polymorphic variation of the 5-HT2C gene and Serotonin transporter (SERT). DJ Quested, R Whale, P Sargent, C Hawley, D Laver, R Hockney, N Crossland, P Burnet, M Sodhi, PJ Harrison, PJ Cowen . Journal of Psychopharmacology (2001) 15 (suppl A): A12. Presented at the British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) Annual Meeting 2001

  • State and trait abnormalities in serotonin function in major depression. Z Bhagwager, R Whale, PJ Cowen. Journal of Psychopharmacology (2001) 15 (suppl A): A16. Presented at the British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) Annual Meeting 2001

  • Blunted responses to 5-HT1D receptor challenge in melancholic depressed subjects and following SSRI treatment. R Whale, EM Clifford, Z Bhagwager, PJ Cowen. Presented at the CINP 2000

  • Serotonin transporter genotype influences the prolactin response to clomipramine.R Whale, Quested DJ, Harrison PJ, Cowen PJ. Presented at the CINP 2000

  • Effect of ketanserin on the growth hormone response to zolmitriptan in healthy volunteers. R Whale, PJ Cowen. Journal of Psychopharmacology (1999) 13 (suppl A): P124. Presented at the British Association for Psychopharmacology (BAP) Annual Meeting 1999

  • Effect of antidepressant treatment on 5-HT1D receptor function in depressed subjects. R Whale, PJ Cowen. Journal of Psychopharmacology (1999) 13 (suppl A): P123. Presented at the BAP Annual Meeting 1999

 

  • The effect of the selective 5-HT1D receptor agonist, zolmitriptan on sleep in healthy volunteers. AL Sharpley, R Whale, PJ Cowen. Journal of Psychopharmacology (1999) 13 (suppl A): P151. Presented at the BAP Annual Meeting 1999

  • Effect of penbutolol on neuroendocrine responses and mood in volunteers and treatment resistant patients. EM Clifford, R Whale, T Sharp, PJ Cowen.Journal of Psychopharmacology (1999) 13 (suppl A): P130. Presented at the BAP Annual Meeting 1999

 

  • Neuroendocrine effects of zolmitriptan in humans. R Whale, Z Bhagwager, PJ Cowen. Presented at the CINP 1998. PT10059

  • Hypericum Perforatum (St John’s Wort) and depression?: Changes in sleep architecture in normal volunteers. AL Sharpley, CL McGavin, R Whale, PJ Cowen. Presented at the CINP 1998. PW16098

  • 5-HT1A receptor antagonist effects of tertatolol. EM Clifford, R Whale, PJ Cowen. Journal of Psychopharmacology (1997) 11 (suppl 3): A34. Presented at the BAP Annual Meeting 1997 Presented at the CINP, Brussels 2000.
  • Serotonin transporter genotype influences the prolactin response to clomipramine. R Whale, Quested DJ, Harrison PJ, Cowen PJ. Presented at the CINP, Brussels 2000

Contact details: Tel 01273 644126 Email: r.whale@brighton.ac.uk