Additional Titles & Roles
- Head of the Department of Psychiatry
- Geriatric Psychiatry Rotation Director
Education & Training
- Fellowship: General Psychiatry: University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 1999
- Residency: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 1998
- MD: Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 1994
Major Awards
- Best Doctors in America (2005-present),
- Resident Mentoring award from Washington University Department of Psychiatry, 2012
- Washington University Distinguished Alumni Scholarship Program honoree, 2017
- President, Washington University Medical Center Alumni Association, 2018
- Elected to Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Honor Medical Society, WUSM, 2018
- Endowed as Wallace and Lucille K. Renard Professor of Psychiatry, WUSM, 2020
Areas of Clinical Interest
Anxiety disorders, depression, and brain health in older adults.
Research Interests
I am the Director of the Healthy Mind Lab. My main research focus is developing and testing treatments for depression, anxiety, and brain health in older adults.
My expertise is in clinical trials; my work includes novel treatments (including Ketamine & Kappa opioid antagonists), predictors of response, neuroendocrinology, neuropsychology, pharmacotherapy, mindfulness, exercise, mobile technology, and medical rehabilitation.
Key Publications
- Lenze EJ, Lenard E, Bland M, Barco P, Miller JP, Yingling M, Lang CE, Morrow-Howell N, Baum CM, Binder EF, Rodebaugh TL. Effect of Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation on functional recovery in older adults receiving skilled nursing post-acute rehabilitation: a randomized clinical trail. JAMA Network Open (in press).
- Mofsen AM, Rodebaugh TL, Nicol GE, Depp CA, Miller JP, Lenze EJ, (2019 Apr). When All Else Fails, Listen to the Patient: A Viewpoint on the Use of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Clinical Trials. JMIR Ment Health. 6(5): e11845.
Read publication »When All Else Fails, Listen to the Patient: A Viewpoint on the Use of Ecological Momentary Assessment in Clinical Trials. - Kharasch ED, Neiner A, Kraus K, Blood J, Stevens A, Schweiger J, Miller JP, Lenze EJ, (2019 May). Bioequivalence and Therapeutic Equivalence of Generic and Brand Bupropion in Adults With Major Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther.. 105(5): 1164-1174.
Read publication »Bioequivalence and Therapeutic Equivalence of Generic and Brand Bupropion in Adults With Major Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial. - Lenze EJ, Mulsant BH, Blumberger DM, Karp JF, Newcomer JW, Anderson SJ, Dew MA, Butters MA, Stack JA, Begley AE, Reynolds CF, (2015 Dec). Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of augmentation pharmacotherapy with aripiprazole for treatment-resistant depression in late life: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet. 386(10011): 2404-12.
Read publication »Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of augmentation pharmacotherapy with aripiprazole for treatment-resistant depression in late life: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. - Wildes TS, Mickle AM, Ben Abdallah A, Maybrier HR, Oberhaus J, Budelier TP, Kronzer A, McKinnon SL, Park D, Torres BA, Graetz TJ, Emmert DA, Palanca BJ, Goswami S, Jordan K, Lin N, Fritz BA, Stevens TW, Jacobsohn E, Schmitt EM, Inouye SK, Stark S, Lenze EJ, Avidan MS, , (2019 02). Effect of Electroencephalography-Guided Anesthetic Administration on Postoperative Delirium Among Older Adults Undergoing Major Surgery: The ENGAGES Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 321(5): 473-483.
Read publication »Effect of Electroencephalography-Guided Anesthetic Administration on Postoperative Delirium Among Older Adults Undergoing Major Surgery: The ENGAGES Randomized Clinical Trial. - Wetherell JL, Hershey T, Hickman S, Tate SR, Dixon D, Bower ES, Lenze EJ, (2017 Jul). Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Older Adults With Stress Disorders and Neurocognitive Difficulties: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 78(7): e734-e743.
Read publication »Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Older Adults With Stress Disorders and Neurocognitive Difficulties: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Funded Research Projects
NCATS(Significant Contributor):Maximizing the Impact of the Multicenter Clinical Trial Enterprise
NIMH(PI):Enhanced Medical Rehabilitation for Older Adults
James S. McDonnell Foundation(Significant Contributor):Reconstructing Consciousness and Cognition, Phase 2
NIMH(PI):Mechanisms of Cognitive Decline in Late-Life Anxiety Disorders
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute(PI):Re-engineering Geriatric Post-acute Rehabilitation for Higher Engagement and Higher Intensity
NIMH(Key Personnel):An Efficient Method of Testing Pharmacological Enhancement for Treating Anxiety
NIMH(PI):2/3 Antiglucocorticoid Therapy for Cognitive Dysfunction in Late-life Anxiety
NIH(Significant Contributor):Novel Therapeutics Research Training Program
Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation(PI):Fall-related Injury Prevention: Pharmacogenomics to Improve Antidepressant Safety
NIA(Significant Contributor):Self-management to Prevent Falls in Older Adults with Cancer
NIA(Significant Contributor):Electroencephalograph Guidance of Anesthesia to Alleviate Geriatric Syndromes (ENGAGES)
NIA(Significant Contributor):Implementation of Home Modifications to Prevent Falls for Older Adults at High Risk
NIA(PI):Remediating Age Related Cognitive Decline: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Exercise
McDonnell Center for Systems Neuroscience(PI):Functional Connectivity Mechanismsof NMDA Antagonist Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder
NIH(Significant Contributor):Loving-Kindness Meditation and Yoga in the Return to Normal Psychological Functioning in Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury
NCCIH(PI):Optimizing Interventions to Reverse Stress Effects on the Aging Brain
NCATS(Significant Contributor):A Mechanistic Approach to Optimize MBSR for Tinnitus
Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute(PI):Optimizing Outcomes in Treatment-Resistant Depression in Older Adults
NCATS(Significant Contributor):The NCATS Clinical Trial Mobile Suite
NIAMSD(Significant Contributor):Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Adult Clinical Center
NCCIH(Significant Contributor):Neural Mechanisms of Mindfulness: A Discordant Twin Design
ICTS(PI):High Dose Ketamine for Treatment Resistant Depression in Older Adolescents
NIDCD(Significant Contributor):Relieving the Emotional Stress of Tinnitus and Improving Attentional Focus Trial
NIH(Key Personnel):Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Insomnia for Adults with Chronic Pain due to Rheumatoid Arthritis
NCATS(Significant Contributor):Fully-Remote Clinical Trial of Exercise in Older Adults: Focus on Rigor and Reproducibility
Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation(PI):Exercise for Older Adults: Community-based E-Technology Assisted Clinical Trial
NIA(PI):Remediating Age Related Cognitive Decline: Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction and Exercise
NCATS(Significant Contributor):Washington University Institute of Clinical and Translational Sciences: Network Capacity – Liaison to Trial Innovation Centers
NIMH(Significant Contributor):5/5 Neurocognitive and neuroimaging biomarkers: predicting progression toward dementia in patients with treatment resistant late-life depression
NIDCD(Significant Contributor):Relieving the Emotional Stress of Tinnitus and Improving Attentional Focus Trial