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Michael R. Irwin

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Michael R. Irwin
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Psychiatrist and academic
Academic background
EducationDoctor of Medicine
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania
UCSD School of Medicine
UCLA School of Medicine
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Academic work
InstitutionsUniversity of California, Los Angeles

Michael R. Irwin is an American psychiatrist and academic who serves as the Norman Cousins Chair of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).[1] He is also the Director of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology and the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA.[2]

Irwin's work is focused on psychoneuroimmunology, exploring interactions between psychological processes and the nervous and immune systems. He has written over 500 research articles and five books.[3] He has received awards for his contributions, including the Norman Cousins Award for "outstanding contribution to clinical psychoneuroimmunology and understanding the reciprocal links between depression, sleep, and the immune system"[4] and the George Solomon Memorial Lecture Award for "innovation in understanding the important interconnections between psychological and physical processes for health and illness".[5] Among his other honors are the Martica Hall Sleep Medicine Award,[6] Frisca L. Yan Go Award in Sleep Medicine,[7] Charlton Award,[8] and recognition as a Leader in Medicine among "America's Best Doctors."[9]

Irwin's work promoting equity and diversity in science led to the establishment of the Michael Irwin Equity and Diversity Awards by the PNIRS, which he supports philanthropically.[10]

Early life and education[edit]

Irwin attended the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in Biophysics in 1976. He began his medical training at the University of Colorado before transferring to the University of California, San Diego. There, he trained in biochemical genetics and immunology with J. Edwin Seegmiller, completing his medical training in 1981. He then specialized in psychiatry and started research in psychoneuroimmunology with Herbert Weiner, completing his residency in 1985 and receiving the Laughlin Award from the American College of Psychiatrists during his residency.[1]

Career[edit]

In 1985, Irwin became a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego where he served until 2001. He then joined UCLA and served as Associate Director of the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior from 2019 to 2021,[11] and concurrently as Vice Chair of Research for the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. Since 2009, he has been serving as Director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center as well as Norman Cousins Chair of the Semel Institute, Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine,[12] and Director of the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology which was founded by Norman Cousins.[13]

Irwin served as President of PNIRS.[14] Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, American Psychosomatic Society[15] He holds the title of Distinguished Life Fellow at the American Psychiatric Association and Fellow at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology.

Scientific career[edit]

Irwin has researched psychoneuroimmunologic pathways of disease, mapping reciprocal regulation between neural and innate immune systems, and testing behavioral interventions targeting sleep and inflammatory signaling to promote well-being in older adults and cancer survivors.[16] In collaboration with Kamal Haydari Artin and Michael N Oxman, he evaluated the validity of a briefer 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) as a screening tool for major depression in older adults, demonstrating excellent sensitivity and specificity.[17] He also participated in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a live attenuated varicella-zoster virus vaccine in reducing the burden of illness from herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia among older adults.[18]

Irwin is known for providing the first evidence that psychological stress affects immune function and cancer resistance[19] via central neuropeptides and adrenergic pathways.[20] He has also shown that sleep enhances health by boosting antiviral immunity,[21][22] and reducing inflammatory processes.[23][24][22] Additionally, he elucidated the causal role of insomnia[25] and inflammation in regulating affective mechanisms and reward processes leading to depression,[26][27] a study recognized with the NEATOR Award from the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology in 2016. Having contributed his research to media outlets, he discussed the significant sleep disturbances experienced by individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), highlighting the complex, bidirectional relationship between sleep quality and IBD.[28] In addition, his Current Biology study on poor sleep's impact on influenza A and Hepatitis A and B vaccines, featured on Advisory Board, revealed reduced antibody response, especially in men.[29]

Irwin's research revealed that community-based mind-body interventions, such as meditation[30] and tai chi, effectively treat insomnia, particularly in older adults[31][32] and breast cancer survivors.[33][34] In a CNN piece, he emphasized the importance of tai chi.[35]

Irwin further demonstrated that tai chi practice enhances antiviral vaccine response[36][37][38] and reduces systemic low-grade inflammation by down-regulating inflammatory transcriptional mechanisms,[39][40] earning him the Basic Research Award from the European Society on Integrative Medicine in 2014.[41][42][43] In a commentary, Richard J. Davidson, the American psychologist from University of Wisconsin–Madison and Center for Healthy Minds, stated that Irwin's study "presages a new era for behavioral interventions... such neurally inspired behavioral interventions may represent the future of how we can effect specific alterations in behaviorally relevant neural circuits and systemic biological processes".[44] In addition, he found similar anti-inflammatory benefits following mindfulness meditation.[45]

Later, Irwin's research expanded to demonstrate that treating insomnia can prevent depression.[46][47] Commentators, Cuijpers and Reynolds described this study as "a completely new and innovative way of tackling the growing problem of depression offering exciting new opportunities for the prevention field and opening a new area of research into indirect preventive interventions for avoiding the stigma of mental disorders".[48]

Awards and honors[edit]

  • 2007 – Norman Cousins Award, Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society[4]
  • 2017 – Charlton Award, Tufts University[8]
  • 2017 – Leader in Medicine, American Health Council[9]
  • 2018 – George Solomon Memorial Lecture, PNIRS.[5]
  • 2020 – Frisca L Yan Go Award in Sleep Medicine, UCLA[7]
  • 2023 – Martica Hall Sleep Medicine Award, American Psychosomatic Society[6]

Selected publications[edit]

  • Irwin, M., Artin, K. H., & Oxman, M. N. (1999). Screening for depression in the older adult: criterion validity of the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Archives of internal medicine, 159(15), 1701-1704.
  • Oxman, M. N., Levin, M. J., Johnson, G. R., Schmader, K. E., Straus, S. E., Gelb, L. D., ... & Silber, J. L. (2005). A vaccine to prevent herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia in older adults. New England Journal of Medicine, 352(22), 2271-2284.
  • Slavich, G. M., & Irwin, M. R. (2014). From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder: a social signal transduction theory of depression. Psychological bulletin, 140(3), 774.
  • Irwin, M. R. (2015). Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective. Annual review of psychology, 66, 143-172.
  • Irwin, M. R., Olmstead, R., & Carroll, J. E. (2016). Sleep disturbance, sleep duration, and inflammation: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and experimental sleep deprivation. Biological psychiatry, 80(1), 40-52.

References[edit]

Selected articles[edit]

  1. ^ a b "Michael Irwin, M.D."
  2. ^ "Michael R. Irwin, M.D." (PDF).
  3. ^ "Michael Irwin".
  4. ^ a b "Awards and Lectures".
  5. ^ a b "Featured Lectures".
  6. ^ a b "Dr. Martica Hall Award in Sleep Medicine".
  7. ^ a b "Frisca L. Yan-Go, MD Lectureship in Sleep Medicine".
  8. ^ a b "MICHAEL IRWIN, MD, TO DELIVER 42ND CHARLTON LECTURE, OCT 25". 10 October 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Leader in Medicine Michael Irwin M.D." 23 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Meeting Awards".
  11. ^ "Semel Institute UCLA" (PDF).
  12. ^ "Faculty and Staff".
  13. ^ "Our Expert Team".
  14. ^ "AMBR LEADERSHIP TEAM".
  15. ^ "Past Presidents".
  16. ^ "Michael Irwin, MD".
  17. ^ Irwin, Michael; Artin, Kamal Haydari; Oxman, Michael N. (9 August 1999). "Screening for Depression in the Older Adult Criterion Validity of the 10-Item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)". Archives of Internal Medicine. 159 (15): 1701–1704. doi:10.1001/archinte.159.15.1701. PMID 10448771.
  18. ^ Oxman, M.N.; et al. (2005). "A Vaccine to Prevent Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia in Older Adults". New England Journal of Medicine. 352 (22): 2271–2284. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa051016. PMID 15930418.
  19. ^ Irwin, Michael; Caldwell, Cindy; Smith, Tom L.; Brown, Sandra; Schuckit, Marc A.; Gillin, J. Christian (August 1990). "Major Depressive Disorder, Alcoholism, and Reduced Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxicity Role of Severity of Depressive Symptoms and Alcohol Consumption". Archives of General Psychiatry. 47 (8): 713–719. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1990.01810200021003.
  20. ^ "Central Corticotropin-Releasing Factor Mediates the Suppressive Effect of Stress on Natural Killer Cytotoxicity Get access Arrow".
  21. ^ Irwin, Michael; McClintick, John; Costlow, Carolyn; Fortner, Melissa; White, Jack; Gillin, J. Christian (1996). "Partial night sleep deprivation reduces natural killer and celhdar immune responses in humans". The FASEB Journal. 10 (5): 643–653. doi:10.1096/fasebj.10.5.8621064. PMID 8621064.
  22. ^ a b "To boost immunity, forget 'magic pills.' Focus on sleep, exercise, diet and cutting stress". The Washington Post.
  23. ^ "From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder: A social signal transduction theory of depression".
  24. ^ "Sleep Deprivation and Activation of Morning Levels of Cellular and Genomic Markers of Inflammation".
  25. ^ Cho, Hyong Jin; Lavretsky, Helen; Olmstead, Richard; Levin, Myron J.; Oxman, Michael N.; Irwin, Michael R. (2008). "Sleep Disturbance and Depression Recurrence in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Prospective Study". American Journal of Psychiatry. 165 (12): 1543–1550. doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.2008.07121882. PMC 2707854. PMID 18765482.
  26. ^ Irwin, Michael R.; Olmstead, Richard; Carroll, Judith E. (July 2016). "Sleep Disturbance, Sleep Duration, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies and Experimental Sleep Deprivation". Biological Psychiatry. Inflammation and Immune Mechanisms in Neuropsychiatry. 80 (1): 40–52. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.05.014. PMC 4666828. PMID 26140821.
  27. ^ Eisenberger, Naomi I.; Inagaki, Tristen K.; Mashal, Nehjla M.; Irwin, Michael R. (May 2010). "Inflammation and social experience: An inflammatory challenge induces feelings of social disconnection in addition to depressed mood". Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 24 (4): 558–563. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2009.12.009. PMC 2856755. PMID 20043983.
  28. ^ "How to Get Better Sleep When You Have IBD". 11 April 2023.
  29. ^ "Does poor sleep make vaccines less effective? Here's what one study found".
  30. ^ "Mindfulness Meditation and Improvement in Sleep Quality and Daytime Impairment Among Older Adults With Sleep Disturbances".
  31. ^ "Tai chi helps older adults get good night's sleep". Reuters.
  32. ^ "Effects of Tai Chi or Exercise on Sleep in Older Adults With Insomnia".
  33. ^ "Improving Sleep Quality in Older Adults with Moderate Sleep Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Tai Chi Chih".
  34. ^ Irwin, M. R.; Olmstead, R.; Carrillo, C.; Sadeghi, N.; Nicassio, P.; Ganz, P. A.; Bower, J. E. (2017). "Tai Chi Chih Compared With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for the Treatment of Insomnia in Survivors of Breast Cancer: A Randomized, Partially Blinded, Noninferiority Trial". Journal of Clinical Oncology. 35 (23): 2656–2665. doi:10.1200/JCO.2016.71.0285. PMC 5549450. PMID 28489508.
  35. ^ "Tai chi fights stress, getting popular with Millennials". 5 September 2017.
  36. ^ Irwin, Michael R.; Olmstead, Richard; Oxman, Michael N. (2007). "Augmenting Immune Responses to Varicella Zoster Virus in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Tai Chi". Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. 55 (4): 511–517. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01109.x. PMID 17397428.
  37. ^ "Tai Chi May Boost Immune System". CBS News. 30 March 2007.
  38. ^ "Tai chi helps older people resist virus that causes shingles, report says". The New York Times. 17 April 2007.
  39. ^ "Tai Chi, Cellular Inflammation, and Transcriptome Dynamics in Breast Cancer Survivors With Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial".
  40. ^ "Tai chi fights stress, getting popular with Millennials". 5 September 2017.
  41. ^ Irwin, Michael R.; Olmstead, Richard; Breen, Elizabeth C.; Witarama, Tuff; Carrillo, Carmen; Sadeghi, Nina; Arevalo, Jesusa M. G.; Ma, Jeffrey; Nicassio, Perry; Bootzin, Richard; Cole, Steve (15 November 2015). "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Tai Chi Reverse Cellular and Genomic Markers of Inflammation in Late-Life Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial". Biological Psychiatry. Transdiagnosticpathological Mechanisms in Aging. 78 (10): 721–729. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.01.010. PMC 4524803. PMID 25748580.
  42. ^ "ESIM Awards".
  43. ^ "Tai Chi and Psychotherapy for Better Sleep and More". 18 November 2015.
  44. ^ "Behavioral Interventions Produce Robust Beneficial Biological Alterations" (PDF).
  45. ^ Creswell, J. David; Irwin, Michael R.; Burklund, Lisa J.; Lieberman, Matthew D.; Arevalo, Jesusa M. G.; Ma, Jeffrey; Breen, Elizabeth Crabb; Cole, Steven W. (October 2012). "Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction training reduces loneliness and pro-inflammatory gene expression in older adults: A small randomized controlled trial". Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. 26 (7): 1095–1101. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2012.07.006. PMC 3635809. PMID 22820409.
  46. ^ "Prevention of Incident and Recurrent Major Depression in Older Adults With Insomnia A Randomized Clinical Trial".
  47. ^ "Sleep training for adults prevents depression, study finds". CNN. 24 November 2021.
  48. ^ "Does Treating Insomnia Help Prevent Depression?".
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