UB Faculty Experts

EXPERT CONTACT : David G. Lichter, MD Professor of Neurology University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Contact Ellen Goldbaum at 716-645-4605 or egoldbaum@buffalo.edu

Lichter, an expert in movement disorders, including Tourette's Syndrome and other tic disorders, has been interviewed by numerous local and national media concerning the emergence of multiple cases of "conversion disorder" in a high school in LeRoy, N.Y.

What is conversion disorder and why does it seem more common among girls than boys?

Conversion disorder is defined as a loss of, or alteration in, physical functioning in which psychological factors are judged to be causally related to the symptoms. This link is suggested by a temporal relationship between a significant psychosocial stressor and initiation or exacerbation of the symptom. Importantly, the person is not conscious of intentionally producing the symptom. This differentiates conversion disorder from factitious disorder or malingering. Conversion disorder is, indeed, more common among girls than boys and particularly affects adolescent girls and young women. One suggestion is that females are more prone to internalizing stress than males. Females may also be more suggestible than males.

How do you think social networking has influenced the appearance of these symptoms?

In the past, symptoms or behaviors of mass psychogenic illness have been spread from a small number of individuals to larger numbers of individuals by what we call "line of sight" and "line of hearing," where the affected sufferers share a common, enclosed environment, such as a school. Social networking now provides another avenue for symptoms to be transmitted rapidly to potentially vulnerable individuals who may be geographically distant from, or not yet directly exposed to, the original cohort.

Do you think the media attention has caused the illness to spread to more people?

It is difficult to know whether media attention may have contributed to the spread of symptoms to others and it is important to note that three of the girls did have pre-existing tic disorders that were not due to psychogenic illness. However, I believe that the intense media scrutiny in this case, including the continued attention to alternative possible causes of the students' symptoms, has heightened anxiety, fostered an environment of mistrust and diverted attention away from the diagnosis that has been accepted by all professionals who have been directly involved in the evaluation and care of these students, i.e. conversion disorder. The result, in some cases, has been a failure to date to initiate appropriate supportive care or an abandonment of such care. This appears to have resulted in some cases in behavioral regression, compared with symptomatic improvement in those who have accepted the diagnosis and continued with appropriate therapy.

How long does conversion disorder usually last?

In cases where the disorder is quickly diagnosed, the diagnosis is accepted by the family and rapid, appropriate and supportive intervention is undertaken, conversion disorder can be successfully treated, with relatively rapid symptomatic resolution, sometimes in a few weeks. This is particularly likely in cases where the individual has healthy personality characteristics and good family support. In the absence of such positive predictors of outcome, the disorder may become chronic and refractory to treatment efforts.

Are researchers working on ways to better detect and treat conversion disorder?

Researchers are indeed working to better understand and treat conversion disorder. The LeRoy students have been offered free evaluation at the National Institutes of Health and have been offered inclusion in its ongoing research study of conversion disorder, which includes functional brain imaging. This research is being undertaken by the Human Motor Control Section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke by experts in both biologically based and psychologically based movement disorders, including some of the clinical, electrophysiologic and brain imaging overlap between the two.

EXPERT CONTACT : Dr. James E. Campbell UB Distinguished Professor and chair of the UB Department of Political Science University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences 716-645-8452 jcampbell@buffalo.edu

Campbell is a specialist in American electoral politics and forecasting. His insights into the effect of Governor Rick Perry dropping out of the presidential race are below:

"Rick Perry's dropping out of the race and his endorsement of Newt Gingrich, along with Sarah Palin's indication that she would vote for Gingrich in the South Carolina primary, are indications that Gingrich is well prositioned to become the conservative alternative to a Mitt Romney nomnation.

"The only remaining obstacle is Rick Santorum. Though highly regarded by social conservatives and having run strongly in Iowa, Santorum appears to be a second choice to Gingrich among conservative Republicans nationally. I would guess that Santorum may be pressed to drop out of the race if he finishes third or fourth in South Carolina.

"The Republican contest this year has been very unusual in that it has pitted the Republican establishment backing Romney against the party's large conservative base who have made their opposition to Romney very clear through their support of various candidates (Bachmann, Perry, Cain, Gingrich, and Santorum) and possible candidates (from Donald Trump to Chris Christie).

"It appears that the base may get its wish of a head-to-head match up between Romney and a single conservative alternative. Ironically, if this does happen, it might be attributed to the role of Super PACs in this campaign. They may have made the process more democratic than it might otherwise have been by allowing candidates to stay in the race longer and to fend off attacks from other well-financed candidates."

EXPERT CONTACT : Mark Bartholomew Associate Professor of Law University at Buffalo Law School 716-645-5959 bartholo@buffalo.edu

Bartholomew is an expert in intellectual property and cyber law. With Wikipedia, Reddit and other websites “going dark” today to raise awareness about two anti-piracy bills that could affect the amount of content available on the Internet, Bartholomew shared his thoughts on the pending legislation. The bills, the Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act, are commonly known as “SOPA and PIPA.”

EXPERT CONTACT : Jennifer Read Associate Professor of Psychology University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences jpread@buffalo.edu

Read, an expert on teen drinking, has a simple but effective message for anyone making decisions about alcohol, holiday parties and ways to be safe: Just use your head, she says. Develop a plan before your evening starts, and stick to it.

EXPERT CONTACT : Dr. Robert J. Genco UB Distinguished Professor and Vice Provost University at Buffalo Office of Science, Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach

EXPERT CONTACT : Dr. Ali A. El Sohl Research Professor of Social and Preventive Medicine University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

To schedule an interview with El Solh or Genco, contact Sara Saldi in the Office of University Communications at 716-645-4593 or saldi@buffalo.edu.

With U.S. forces leaving Iraq, experts from the University at Buffalo are available to discuss the challenges veterans face upon returning home. From job hunting in a weak economy to living with traumatic brain injury or PTSD, readjusting to life in the civilian world can be difficult.

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LIVING WITH INJURIES

EXPERT CONTACT : Dr. John J. Leddy Associate Professor of Clinical Orthopaedics and Director of the UB Concussion Management Clinic University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences leddy@buffalo.edu

With the NFL and NHL seasons well under way, Leddy discusses the progress that doctors, teams and athletes have made in understanding concussions and recognizing the seriousness of the injuries. With colleague Barry Willer, Leddy has developed an exercise-based test that helps doctors understand when it’s safe for an athlete to return to play. Athletes treated at Leddy’s concussion management clinic include Toronto Maple Leafs center Tim Connolly, formerly of the Buffalo Sabres.

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The Right Call: Pioneering Research at UB Concussion Management Clinic Helps Football Player Make Tough Choice

EXPERT CONTACT : Nicholas B. Norgard Clinical Assistant Professor of Cardiology University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences North Campus Office: 716-645-4779 Center of Excellence Office: 716-881-7908 nnorgard@buffalo.edu

Norgard weighs in on Lipitor going generic and what it means to patients, pharmaceutical companies and the future of health care.

"We are in the era of evidence-based medicine and the evidence supports atorvastatin as the statin of choice for cardiovascular protection. Yet as practitioners, we have been sacrificing the benefits that could be gained with atorvastatin for less potent, less effective statins because of cost. The high cost of the brand name statins really places a high burden on our patients. When we try to use the more potent, brand name statins, we have found that more than 50 percent of patients quit taking them within the first year due in large part to cost. This is not at all ideal given the huge benefit these drugs afford. I expect that when atorvastatin goes generic and the cost comes down, the obtainability and adherence of atorvastatin will improve dramatically. And this, in turn, will lead to better protected patients and a reduction in cardiac events, procedures, and hospitalizations.

EXPERT CONTACT : Holly Justice Career Counselor University at Buffalo Career Services 716-645-4640 hjustice@buffalo.edu

Justice can talk about how veterans can translate their military experience into resumes that will catch the attention of civilian companies. While veterans completing enlistments come home with valuable skills, finding work can be difficult if employers don’t understand how responsibilities in Iraq and Afghanistan apply to civilian jobs, she says.

Q: How can a good resume help veterans re-enter the civilian work world?

A:  The challenge that veterans face is to translate military language on their resumes to something that civilians unfamiliar with the military culture will understand and appreciate. Veterans need to be descriptive in their language so that civilian employers have a better picture of the candidate’s responsibilities and accomplishments.

A resume that truly illustrates the individuals’ experience and skill sets is critical to getting an interview.

Veterans looking to enter the civilian job market have incredible skills to offer employers. They can be a great fit for companies seeking candidates who are adaptable and have great professionalism, along with leadership and management experience.

Q: What are some common mistakes veterans might make when writing a civilian resume?

EXPERT CONTACT : Dr. James E. Campbell UB Distinguished Professor and chair of the UB Department of Political Science University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences 716-645-8452 jcampbel@buffalo.edu

Campbell is a specialist in American electoral politics and forecasting. He says that with the 2012 presidential campaign in full swing, President Obama's low approval rating and the struggling economy will be key indicators in the election outcome. Campbell also points out that only one incumbent president -- Harry Truman -- has succeeded in retaking the office with an approval rating of below 45 percent.

Additional insight from Campbell:

On President Obama's low approval rating and performance with regards to the economy:

“President Obama has a high 30 to low 40 percent approval rating and historically only one incumbent presidential candidate -- Harry Truman -- has succeeded in retaking the office with an approval rating of below 45 percent. He has plenty of time to bounce back and hit that key threshold, but it is still likely to be a close election.”

“The economy is simply the overriding issue in the campaign. Americans historically have not accepted presidential excuses for a weak economy, so even if the economy shows signs of recovery at election time, the president carries the weight of poor economic performance.”

“Americans want to see performance so for the president to say the recession began on Bush’s watch or that the fault lies with Wall Street will not help with swing or Republican voters. Even the issue of raising taxes on the wealthiest 1 percent may resonate with people, but my guess is that will be seen as a distraction from the general economic weakness and that it actually won’t help him that much.”

On the climate and challenges for Republicans:

“With an incumbent in the race, the presidential record over the last four years will really shape the election’s focus. The political climate looks favorable for the Republicans, but they have to be concerned about having a reasonable candidate that will allow voters to register their dissatisfaction with the incumbent’s record, particularly in respect to the economy.”

“The real driver in how effective the Republicans will be in the race will be in how well they prevent President Obama from going on the offensive. The campaign has to stay focused on the past record because if it becomes about the future, the president has a greater chance of success.”

“The longer the Republican field stays crowded the more it works to Mitt Romney’s advantage, but there is still a great deal of anyone but Romney sentiment out there. He is still the front runner but has not put much distance between himself and the other candidates. The Republican race for a candidate could stay alive right until the time of the convention, but more likely will clarify based on how well Romney does in the southern states."

On the Republican field and who has a chance at winning it:

“Republicans are looking for someone that doesn’t get in the way of voters registering their feelings of contempt."

“The way I look at the Republican candidate field right now is that Mitt Romney is a slight front runner, but he really faces a serious challenge from Rick Perry. He may also face a challenge, albeit perhaps less so, from some of the others including Herman Cain. Cain is a surprising candidate and an untested candidate. In spite of the fact that he has not held public office, he is getting support from a lot of groups that are in the camp of anyone but Romney. His lack of governing experience might help initially with tea party supporters, but when you have an untested candidate with some clear gaps in his knowledge of politics and government that can be a substantial liability against a sharp candidate like President Obama.”

“But look at how this race has moved. Perry has been at the front, then fallen behind. Michele Bachmann has looked strong then fallen back. Through all of it, Romney’s numbers have stayed at about 25 percent.”

“It still seems, however, that about two-thirds of Republicans are still searching for an acceptable candidate. The basis for that might be that religion could be a concern; some may not be comfortable having a Mormon in the White House. And then of course, his record as governor of taking fairly liberal positions and then changing his position on not just one, or two, but on many issues means that he comes to the race with some substantial baggage.”