Psychiatry Grand Rounds: HANS LOWENBACH MEMORIAL LECTURE: "Electroconvulsive Therapy at Duke: A Treatment Modality Evolves over Seven Decades"

The Hans Lowenbach Memorial Lecture was established in 1991 in memory of Dr. Hans Lowenbach (1905-1983), who joined the Duke faculty in 1940 and served as a professor of neurology and also, after returning from a 2-year leave to serve for the US Army in Munich, Germany, the Chair of the Department of Psychiatry from 1951-1953. During his career, Dr. Lowenbach contributed to many aspects of neurology, psychiatry, and mental health. He was president of the NC Neuropsychiatric Association, a member of the committee on Mental Health of the NC Medical Society, and a member of the NC Governor's Commission. He was instrumental in advancing the field of electroconvulsive therapy and consulted for numerous psychiatric facilities in the state and the nation. This year's Lowenbach Lecturer, Dr. Richard Weiner, is recognized as an accomplished physician-researcher and educator with nearly four decades of service at Duke. His research, continuously funded for many years by the NIMH and VA, was instrumental in the development of newer safe and effective types of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of individuals with severe depressive disorders. Dr. Weiner directs the Duke ECT Program and has authored over 150 publications in that area of research. He served as chief of the Mental Health Service Line at the Durham VA Medical Center for 21 years before serving as interim chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences from Oct. 1, 2015 until June 30, 2017.