Birkenhäger, T.K., MD, PhD - Depressive disorders
Curriculim Vitae
Tom K. Birkenhager, MD, PhD
Psychiatrist Depression Unit
Department of Psychiatry
Erasmus MC Rotterdam
Biographical sketch
Tom Birkenhäger obtained his medical degree from the Erasmus University (1984), and trained as psychiatrist in the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam and Parnassia. Registration as psychiatrist took place in 1991. He received a PhD degree in psychiatry at the Erasmus University Medical School in 2004.
Since 2003, he is working as a psychiatrist and researcher at the depression unit of the department of Psychiatry of the Erasmus MC.
Research interests
Dr. Birkenhäger has a special interest in clinical research, his main topics are the pharmacological treatment of severely depressed patients, electroconvulsive therapy and the methodology of treatment studies. He participates in several clinical trials with depressed patients, both in medication studies and in studies on electroconvulsive therapy. Some of this research is in collaboration with other Dutch universities.
Selected publications
- Birkenhäger TK, Moleman P, Nolen WA. Benzodiazepines for depression? International Clinical Psychopharmacology 1995;10:181-195.
- Birkenhäger TK, Vegt M, Nolen WA. An open study of Triiodothyronine augmentation of tricyclic antidepressants in inpatients with refractory depression. Pharmacopsychiatry 1997;30:23-26.
- Pluijms EM, Birkenhäger TK, Huijbrechts IP, Moleman P. Influence of resistance to antidepressant pharmacotherapy on short-term response to electroconvulsive therapy. Journal of Affective Disorders 2002;69:93-99.
- Birkenhäger TK, Pluijms EM, Lucius SA. ECT response in delusional versus non-delusional depressed inpatients. Journal of Affective Disorders 2003;74:91-95.
- Birkenhäger TK, Renes JW, Pluijms EM. One-year follow-up after succesful ECT: a naturalistic study in depressed inpatients. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2004;65:87-91.
- van den Broek WW, Birkenhäger TK, Mulder PGH, Bruijn JA, Moleman P. A randomized double-blind study comparing imipramine with fluvoxamine in depressed inpatients. Psychopharmacology 2004;175:481-486.
- Birkenhäger TK, van den Broek WW, Mulder PH, Bruijn JA, Moleman P. A double-blind study of two-phase treatments for depressed inpatients: imipramine versus fluvoxamine, both followed by lithium addition. American Journal of Psychiatry, in press.
- Birkenhäger TK, van den Broek WW, Mulder PG, Bruijn JA, Moleman P. Efficacy and tolerabilityof tranylcypromine versus phenelzine: a double-blind study in antidepressant-refractory depressed inpatients. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, in press.