Robert Ostroff, MD

Robert Ostroff, MD, is a psychiatrist who focuses on treating mood disorders, particularly severe depression and bipolar disorder. He serves as the medical director of the Mood Disorders Unit and the co-medical director of the Interventional Psychiatry Service at Yale Psychiatric Hospital. He states, “I am drawn to psychiatry in order to help people with severe mental illness live the best possible lives with minimal impact from the symptoms of their illness.”

Dr. Ostroff provides a range of treatments for his patients, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which involves sending electrical currents through the brain to treat severe depression and other psychiatric conditions. ECT is often used when other treatments have failed and is an especially useful option for patients with treatment-resistant depression, severe depression accompanied by delusions, or those who need rapid symptom relief.

Dr. Ostroff emphasizes that modern ECT is much safer and more controlled than its earlier versions, which were often depicted negatively in the media. The procedure involves inducing a brief seizure under general anesthesia, with thorough monitoring of cardiac and respiratory functions. Advances in ECT technology have significantly improved its safety and reduced cognitive side effects.

As a clinical professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Ostroff's research focuses on improving the efficacy and safety of ECT and exploring other interventional treatments such as ketamine and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). His studies aim to optimize treatment protocols to minimize side effects, particularly cognitive issues, while maximizing therapeutic benefits for patients with severe psychiatric conditions.

Dr. Ostroff received his medical training from George Washington University School of Medicine and completed his residency in psychiatry at the Yale University School of medicine. He trained as a psychoanalyst and is interested in the complementary relationship of psychotherapy and traditional biological treatments.