ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS, PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS, AND HONORS
Positions and Employment:
Psychiatry Intern, University of Colorado Hospital, Denver, CO, 1976-1977
Research Fellow, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1980-1984
Staff Psychiatrist, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, 1980-present
Fellow and Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1982-1986
Inpatient Staff Psychiatrist, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, 1982-1988
Assistant Ward Chief, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, 1982-1988
Director, Biological Psychiatric Consultation Service Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, 1982-present
Research Associate, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1984-1986
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1986-1989
Director, Psychiatric Consultation Liaison Service, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, 1987-1987
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1989-1997
Captain (O-6), United States Naval Reserves, IRR Medical Corps Psychiatrist, 1988-2000
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 1997-present
Chief, Mental Health Service, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, 2002-2004
Vice-chair, Psychiatry, Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, CO, 2004-present
Director, Psychiatry Fellowship, VA VISN 19 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO, 2004-present
Director, VA VISN 19 Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO, 2004-present
Honors:
Honorable Mention, Clinical Research, A.E. Bennett Award, Society of Biological Psychiatry, 1984
Research Scientist Development Award - NIMH Research Scientist Development Award – Level, 1988-1999
Distinguished Fellow, American Psychiatric Association, 1992
NIMH Research Scientist Development Award – Level II, 1993-1998
NIMH RSDA Award – Level II (competing renewal), 1998-2003
National Alliance for Research in Schizophrenia and Affective Disorders (NARSAD) Senior Investigator Award, 2000-2002
Distinguished Fellow, American Psychiatric Association, 2003
Teaching Activities:
Fellow and Instructor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1982-1986
Research Associate, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1984-1986
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1986-1989
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, CO, 1989-1997
Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 1997-present
Director, Psychiatry Fellowship, VA VISN 19 Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center, Denver, CO, 2004-2008
Clinical Activities:
Attending Physician for DVAMC Mental Health Clinic
Provides weekly Psychotherapy session for University of Colorado Hospital patient
SCHOLARSHIP AND PUBLICATIONS
Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications:
Adler LE, Pachtman E, Franks RD, Pecevich M, Waldo MC, Freedman R. Neurophysiological evidence for a defect in neuronal mechanisms involved in sensory gating in schizophrenia. Biol Psychiatry. 1982;17(6):639-54.
Freedman R, Adler LE, Waldo MC, Pachtman E, Franks RD. Neurophysiological evidence for a defect in inhibitory pathways in schizophrenia: comparison of medicated and drug-free patients. Biol Psychiatry. 1983;18(5):537-51.
Adler LE, Waldo MC, Freedman R. Neurophysiologic studies of sensory gating in schizophrenia: comparison of auditory and visual responses. Biol Psychiatry. 1985;20(12):1284-96.
Adler LE, Rose G, Freedman R. Neurophysiological studies of sensory gating in rats: effects of amphetamine, phencyclidine, and haloperidol. Biol Psychiatry. 1986;21(8-9):787-98.
Freedman R, Adler LE, Gerhardt GA, Waldo M, Baker N, Rose GM, Drebing C, Nagamoto H, Bickford-Wimer P, Franks R. Neurobiological studies of sensory gating in schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 1987;3(4):669-78.
Adler LE, Pang K, Gerhardt G, Rose GM. Modulation of the gating of auditory evoked potentials by norepinephrine: pharmacological evidence obtained using a selective neurotoxin. Biol Psychiatry. 1988;24(2):179-90.
Nagamoto HT, Adler LE, Waldo MC, Freedman R. Sensory gating in schizophrenics and normal controls: effects of changing stimulation interval. Biol Psychiatry. 1989;25(5):549-61.
Adler LE, Gerhardt GA, Franks R, Baker N, Nagamoto H, Drebing C, Freedman R. Sensory physiology and catecholamines in schizophrenia and mania. Psychiatry Res. 1990;31(3):297-309.
Nagel K, Adler LE, Bell J, Nagamoto HT, Freedman R. Lithium carbonate and mood disorder in recently detoxified alcoholics: a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 1991;15(6):978-81.
Adler LE, Hoffer LJ, Griffith J, Waldo MC, Freedman R. Normalization by nicotine of deficient auditory sensory gating in the relatives of schizophrenics. Biol Psychiatry. 1992;32(7):607-16.
Waldo MC, Cawthra E, Adler LE, Dubester S, Staunton M, Nagamoto H, Baker N, Madison A, Simon J, Scherzinger A, et al. Auditory sensory gating, hippocampal volume, and catecholamine metabolism in schizophrenics and their siblings. Schizophr Res. 1994;12(2):93-106.
Adler LE, Hoffer L, Nagamoto HT, Waldo MC, Kisley MA, Griffith JM. Yohimbine impairs P50 auditory sensory gating in normal subjects. Neuropsychopharmacology. 1994;10(4):249-57.
13. Laudenslager ML, Aasal R, Adler LE, Berger CL, Montgomery PT, Sandberg E, Wahlberg LJ, Wilkins RT, Zweig L, Reite ML. Elevated cytotoxicity in combat veterans with long-term posttraumatic stress disorder: preliminary observations. Brain Behav Immun. 1998;12(1):74-79.
Nagamoto HT, Adler LE, McRae KA, Huettl P, Cawthra E, Gerhardt G, Hea R, Griffith J. Auditory P50 in schizophrenics on clozapine: improved gating parallels clinical improvement and changes in plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol. Neuropsychobiology. 1999; 39(1):10-7.
Arciniegas D, Adler LE, Topkoff J, Cawthra E, Filley CM, Reite ML. Attention and memory dysfunction after traumatic brain injury: cholinergic mechanisms, sensory gating, and a hypothesis for further investigation. Brain Inj. 1999;13(1):1-13. Review.
Arciniegas D, Olincy A, Topkoff J, McRae K, Cawthra E, Filley CM, Reite M, Adler LE. Impaired auditory gating and P50 nonsuppression following traumatic brain injury. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2000;12(1):77-85.
Adler LE, Olincy A, Cawthra E, Hoffer M, Nagamoto HT, Amass L, Freedman R. Reversal of diminished inhibitory sensory gating in cocaine addicts by a nicotinic cholinergic mechanism. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2001;24(6):671-9.
Arciniegas DB, Topkoff JL, Rojas DC, Sheeder J, Teale P, Young DA, Sandberg E, Reite ML, Adler LE. Reduced hippocampal volume in association with p50 nonsuppression following traumatic brain injury. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2001;13(2):213-21.
Leonard S, Gault J, Hopkins J, Logel J, Vianzon R, Short M, Drebing C, Berger R, Venn D, Sirota P, Zerbe G, Olincy A, Ross RG, Adler LE, Freedman R. Association of promoter variants in the alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit gene with an inhibitory deficit found in schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2002;59(12):1085-96.
20. Hutchison KE, Wooden A, Swift RM, Smolen A, McGeary J, Adler LE, Paris L. Olanzapine reduces cravings for alcohol: a DRD4 VNTR polymorphism by pharmacotherapy interaction. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2003;28(10):1882-888
Adler LE, Olincy A, Cawthra EM, McRae KA, Harris JG, Nagamoto HT, Waldo MC, Hall MH, Bowles A, Woodward L, Ross RG, Freedman R. Varied effects of atypical neuroleptics on P50 auditory gating in schizophrenia patients. Am J Psychiatry. 2004;161(10):1822-8.
Adler LE, Cawthra EM, Donovan KA, Harris JG, Nagamoto HT, Olincy A, Waldo MC. Improved p50 auditory gating with ondansetron in medicated schizophrenia patients. Am J Psychiatry. 2005;162(2):386-8.
Hanlon FM, Miller GA, Thoma RJ, Irwin J, Jones A, Moses SN, Huang M, Weisend MP, Paulson KM, Edgar JC, Adler LE, Canive JM. Distinct M50 and M100 auditory gating deficits in schizophrenia. Psychophysiology. 2005;42(4):417-27.
Thoma RJ, Hanlon FM, Moses SN, Ricker D, Huang M, Edgar C, Irwin J, Torres F, Weisend MP, Adler LE, Miller GA, Canive JM. M50 sensory gating predicts negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Schizophr Res. 2005;73(2-3):311-8.
Freedman R, Leonard S, Waldo M, Gault J, Olincy A, Adler LE. Characterization of allelic variants at chromosome 15q14 in schizophrenia. Genes Brain Behav. 2006;5(suppl 1):14-22.
Olincy A, Harris JG, Johnson LL, Pender V, Kongs S, Allensworth D, Ellis J, Zerbe GO, Leonard S, Stevens KE, Stevens JO, Martin L, Adler LE, Soti F, Kem WR, Freedman R. Proof-of-concept trial of an alpha7 nicotinic agonist in schizophrenia. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63(6):630-8.
Hasley JP, Ghosh B, Huggins J, Bell MR, Adler LE, Shroyer AL. A review of "suicidal intent" within the existing suicide literature. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2008;38(5):576-91.
Brenner LA, Harwood JE, Homaifar BY, Cawthra E, Waldman J, Adler LE. Psychiatric hospitalization and veterans with traumatic brain injury: a retrospective study. J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2008;23(6):401-6.
Ziedonis D, Hitsman B, Beckham JC, Zvolensky M, Adler LE, Audrain-McGovern J, Breslau N, Brown RA, George TP, Williams J, Calhoun PS, Riley WT. Tobacco use and cessation in psychiatric disorders: National Institute of Mental Health report. Nicotine Tob Res. 2008;10(12):1691-715.
Grants and Contracts:
Ongoing Research Support
Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC, VISN 19), Department of Veteran Affairs, 10/01/2004-present
Salary support for Dr. Adler. The purpose of the MIRECC is to evaluate and treat veterans, particularly those returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom and to treat their psychiatric disability aggressively, focusing on normalization of biological markers, to assess whether this will help limit later disability and suicide risk. The MIRECC is also serving as a training center for cognitive dysfunction studies and neuropsychiatry in the context of reducing suicide risk.
Role: Director of the VISN 19 MIRECC
Colorado Research to Improve Care Coordination (CRICC) Pilot Grant Program, “Veteran Status and the Risk of Death Following Release from Prison”, 11/1/2008-11/1/2010
This projects explores the death rate among veterans released from Washington State prisons, including deaths by suicide homicide, drug overdose, and cardiovascular death, and investigates if service connection offers and protective effect.
Role: Co-Investigator
NIMH R01 MH-50787, “Atypical antipsychotics and P50 gating in schizophrenia”, Adler (PI), 08/01/1994-0
7/31/2003 competing renewal 08/01/2004-05/01/2010
The aim is to assess whether atypical antipsychotics that block 5HT3 receptor also enhance P50 auditory sensory gating in schizophrenic patients, which would add new insight to the question of how clozapine and related neuroleptics produce enhanced therapeutics effects.
Role: PI
Completed Research Support
DAMD 17-01-1-0760, DOD/Army US Army Medical Research & Material Command, “Impaired auditory sensory gating, acoustic startle response: Effects of long and short deployments on army combat readiness”, Adler (PI), 07/01/2001-10/16/2007
The purpose is to evaluate whether objective neurophysiological parameters can measure the impact of long and short deployments on soldiers & assess whether the stress of deployment results in impaired auditory sensory gating and secondary performance decrements in test directly relevant to military performance.
Role: PI
NIMH RSDA KO2 MH-01121, "Cholinergic Mechanisms of Sensory Gating in Schizophrenia", Adler (PI), 09/01/1993-05/31/1998 competing renewal 04/15/1999-03/31/2004
Specific aims are to assess whether atypical antipsychotics that block the 5HT3 receptor also enhance P50 auditory sensory gating in schizophrenic patients. These studies would add new insight into the question of how clozapine and related neuroleptics produce enhanced therapeutic effects. This grant is not a project, but rather frees up 75 % salaried time to perform research.
VA Merit Review, Department of Veterans Affairs, “Impaired Auditory Sensory Gating and Nicotine: Effects on Naval Combat Readiness”, Adler (PI), 1999-2002
Studies the ameliorative effects of nicotine on impaired auditory sensory gating in sailors performing stress tasks.
NARSAD, "Clozapine and Inhibitory Sensory Gating in Schizophrenia", Adler (PI), 05/1/1995 - 05/31/1998
VA Merit Review, Department of Veterans Affairs, "Cholinergic Mediation of P50 Auditory Sensory Gating in Schizophrenia", Adler (PI) 10/01/1995 - 09/31/1998