Brain Activity During a Panic Attack

Panic Attacks on Stage Photo by Victor Rodvang on Unsplash

An alumnus of Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dr. Susan Turner graduated from the school in 1999 and earned the Barbara Liskin Award for Excellence in Psychiatry. Drawing upon two decades of experience as a psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Turner now conducts house calls with individuals who have limited mobility. She primarily works with patients who suffer from bipolar disorder and panic disorder.

Panic disorder is characterized by repeated and unexpected panic attacks and includes symptoms such as sweating, chest pain, hot flashes, pounding heart and shortness of breath. Individuals who experience the disorder often live in fear of their next panic attack and its worst-case repercussions. While scientists are yet to fully understand what happens in the brain during panic attacks, research has uncovered some ways in which these attacks affect cognitive functions.

In a 2010 study published in Neuropsychopharmacology, Dr. Lisa M. Shin and Dr. Israel Liberzon contested that, for people with panic disorder, the frontal cortex is ineffective in inhibiting the amygdala, which modulates panic responses and is considered one of the brain's most important elements for processing fear. As a result, their fear network, which also comprises the thalamus, hippocampus and brain stem structures, is hypersensitive to potential panic.

How Non-Lawyer Novelist Harper Lee Captured the Courtroom Atmosphere

Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons alumna Dr. Susan Turner completed her residency training at the Columbia Presbyterian and New York State Psychiatric Institute where she served as chief resident. She has since worked for the Columbia Presbyterian Day Treatment Program and the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital as a psychiatrist. During her free time, Dr. Susan Turner enjoys reading, and says her favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird.

Deemed as an astonishing phenomenon by several public figures and authors at the time of its release, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird is now considered a classic in the pantheon of modern American novels. The Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was notable for being able to shed light on issues such as racial injustice at a time when it was still considered taboo, especially in the South.

Mainly a courtroom drama, the novel was praised for its portrayal of the legal profession. While Lee wasn’t a lawyer herself (in fact, she attended law school but eventually dropped out), she was able to capture the atmosphere of a courtroom because she practically grew up in one. Lee’s father, A.C. Lee, was a lawyer who would frequently bring her to the Monroeville courthouse in his trials. A.C. Lee has been compared to the novel’s protagonist, Atticus Finch, as both men served as defense attorneys for African-American men who were accused of heinous crimes.

How the Turner Center for the Arts Enriches Creative Communities

An experienced psychiatrist practicing in New York City, Dr. Susan Turner uses a wide range of therapeutic strategies in her holistic approach in treating clients’ mental health challenges. In addition to her professional activities, Dr. Susan Turner is an enthusiastic supporter of the arts and is involved with the Turner Center for the Arts, which was created and funded by her family. 

Founded in memory of beloved community member and art lover Annette Howell Turner, the Turner Center for the Arts occupies a 17,000 square foot space in downtown Valdosta, Georgia. Within this expansive venue are six galleries filled with pieces by regional and national artists, as well as two permanent collections showcasing East African art and fine antique porcelain pieces from Europe. In addition to serving the residents of Valdosta, the center also provides opportunities for surrounding communities in nearby Georgia counties and northern Florida to experience, learn about, and appreciate the arts.

The Turner Center for the Arts introduces visitors to the wonder and inspiration of artistic creativity in a number of unique ways, with performances and exhibitions ranging from traveling art shows to Broadway-style musical shows. The nonprofit gallery partners with schools, businesses, and nonprofit organizations to support the arts throughout the region, regularly promoting fellow galleries, theater groups, and public art initiatives. 

The center also reaches out to aspiring artists, offering over 200 educational courses per year, as well as a number of lectures and gallery talks. For more established artists hoping to showcase their work, the center features regular contests and exhibitions such as the annual Spring Into Art event, which carries a generous cash prize. 

In addition to celebrating the arts, the center supports its community by serving as a venue for a variety of events. It has hosted business meetings, wedding receptions, and charity events, and it operates a shop where visitors can purchase handmade wares by local artists and jewelers.

American Psychiatric Association to Host 2018 Annual Meeting in May

A board-certified psychiatrist with more than a decade of experience, Dr. Susan Turner treats patients through a holistic approach that integrates supportive therapy and lifestyle changes with traditional biological therapies. Dr. Susan Turner belongs to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), which will host its 2018 Annual Meeting in May. 

The APA Annual Meeting provides psychiatric professionals with the necessary tools and resources to stay ahead of advances in the field, a critical priority due to the complex nature of mental health. With a growing membership of over 36,000 psychiatrists worldwide, the APA serves as the voice and conscience of modern psychiatry, making its annual meeting a premier gathering in the profession. Meeting sessions and activities engage attendees in continual professional growth by learning from renowned authorities, earning continuing education credits, and building peer relationships. Attendees will also discover groundbreaking technologies and new therapies and treatment options. 

The 2018 meetings takes place May 5-9 in New York City. Attendance is open to mental health professionals and advocates in every aspect of the psychiatric field, from researchers and educators to practicing and consulting psychiatrists. Psychiatric residents and students may also attend. APA members and nonmembers alike may register at an early bird rate until February 6.

Mental Health Courts Reduce Recidivism, Says APA

Certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Dr. Susan Turner serves patients from her New York City-based private practice. Alongside her work as a psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Turner contributes to her profession through membership in the American Psychiatric Association (APA). 

A study published in the APA’s Psychiatric Services in Advance medical journal shows mental health courts help curb recidivism among individuals with mental illness who have a prior history in the justice system. The use of these courts has grown in recent years, with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reporting that there are now approximately 350 mental health courts in operation throughout the country.

Conducted by researchers at North Carolina State University, the study showed that while participating in mental health courts for any period of time has a large impact on sentencing for repeat offenders, those who completed the programs were less likely to re-offend at all. Researchers say the results warrant further study to determine the full benefit of mental health courts.

Turner Center for the Arts Celebrates 50 Years of the Presenter Series

With an office in Manhattan, psychiatrist Dr. Susan Turner offers individualized consulting for a wide range of psychological disorders and provides holistic care that incorporates traditional biological therapies and lifestyle changes. Active in contributing to Doctors Without Borders, Dr. Susan Turner also supports the Annette Howell Turner Center for the Arts in Valdosta, Georgia, which her family helped establish and fund.

In 2017, the Center is commemorating the Presenter Series’ 50th anniversary, which recognizes Lowndes/Valdosta Arts Commission Inc.’s longstanding efforts to bring major theater productions to the Valdosta community. Starting with 1967 events at the Mathis City Auditorium, the South Georgia organization presented a variety of musical acts and touring Broadway shows, including Fiddler on the Roof and Chicago.

For the 2017-18 season, the Turner Center for the Arts is organizing three highly regarded productions, including the original musical Amazing Grace and 50 Years of Rock & Roll by Neil Berg. Also being performed is A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, a comedy that received several Tony Awards, including 2014’s Best Musical recognition.

Connections Between Bipolar Disorder and Diabetes

Psychiatrist Susan Turner

As a privately practicing psychiatrist, Dr. Susan Turner maintains a sub-specialization in the treatment of co-morbid bipolar disorder and diabetes. Dr. Susan Turner understands the many interactions involved in the two conditions and is committed to creating effective treatment plans for each individual patient.

Compared to the average individual, patients with bipolar disorder are three times as likely to develop diabetes. Research has revealed that this dramatic increase stems largely from the fact that 54 to 68 percent of patients with bipolar disorder are obese or overweight. Obesity stands out as a contributing cause of metabolic syndrome, which raises a patient's risk of high blood glucose levels and in turn can lead to this development of diabetes.

Scientists have attributed this connection largely to the use of medications often prescribed to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder. Antipsychotic and anti-epileptic medications are particularly likely to lead to weight gain, especially if the patient takes an antipsychotic alongside a mood-stabilizing pharmaceutical.

Data has also revealed that patients with both bipolar disorder and diabetes respond less effectively to treatment for either disorder. These patients tend to struggle with more severe presentations of their mental illness and are more likely to experience cognitive changes, including psychosocial challenges and abnormal energy metabolism in the brain.