that is what drives me.
”
has about a 60% response rate with 40% reporting complete resolution of depressive symptoms in patients who previously did not respond to other treatments.” In one of his first studies with George, Kozel measured the distance between the coil to the brain to determine that this was a critical factor. Using this knowledge enabled the effectiveness of TMS in older patients to be significantly increased. By adjusting the treatment to account for the greater distance, Kozel discovered that older patients responded as well as younger ones. The study, replicated by other scientists, is now an accepted finding in the field. “Moving the treatment forward and changing clinical care is very exciting,” says Kozel. After fellowships at MUSC, Kozel served as a faculty member in the psychiatry departments at the Medical University of South Carolina and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Presently, he is Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa. The rewards of teaching are inspiring. “One of the most exciting things is to start working with someone and watch their progress,” he remarks enthusiastically. Teaching transfers his learning and experience to others, amplifying progress and expanding treatment and research into new areas. A former fellow now working at Mayo Clinic is doing “amazing work with children and adolescents using TMS.”
Research has always been an interest, particularly in understanding brain function using Functional MRI. Kozel’s work has even crossed into forensics and law enforcement because “study of blood flow changes in the brain can be used to determine when a person is lying. These findings have been replicated in multiple populations, even using a mock crime scene.” Conversely, the evidence suggests that the commonly used polygraph is not an effective tool. Kozel continues to work on examining whether brain imaging such as functional MRI may be a useful tool to understand better and treat neuropsychiatric illnesses such as depression and PTSD, an expanding area of current research. “The fundamentals of the scientific method have been critical to discovery for a long time. When we as a scientific community make mistakes, the cause is often forgetting the basics of that method. I was taught those critical fundamentals at NFA,” he says. “When I went to Yale, I felt as prepared as those who went to the supposed best private schools across the nation. I was just as prepared, if not better.” Asking questions, seeking solutions for intolerances, and offering care and healing motivate Kozel. “You have to find what inspires you. For me, early on, seeing the suffering of patients…that is what drives me,” he says. He enjoys the collaborative nature of professional research and “solving a difficult problem; however,” he warns, “much will not pan out.” Calmly and quickly, he continues, “The investigation is part of the fun, and the need is too great to ignore.”
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