Eric Lenze

Eric Lenze

Head of the Department of Psychiatry

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.

Visit lab website

Key Publications


  • See more publications

    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