Arts and Culture
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
INSIDE Ronald Linden is European Studies Center director....... 2 Exhibition from Pitt’s Cook Ranch in Wyoming............. 3 PittNewspaper of the University of PittsburghChronicle Volume XII • Number 3 • January 24, 2011 Arts and Culture 2 • Pitt Chronicle • January 24, 2011 Ronald Linden Named Director of Pitt’s European Studies Center, European Union Center of Excellence By Amanda Leff Ritchie Ronald Linden, professor of political International Actors,” published in Central science in the University of Pittsburgh’s and East European Politics: From Commu- School of Arts and Sciences, has been named nism to Democracy (Rowman & Littlefield director of Pitt’s European Studies Center Publishers, Inc., 2007), and “The Burden of and European Union Center of Excellence, Belonging: Romanian and Bulgarian For- effective immediately. eign Policy in the New Era” I n a n nou nci ng t he (Journal of Balkan and Near appointment, Lawrence Eastern Studies, 2009). He Feick, director of Pitt’s Uni- was also a contributing author versity Center for Interna- to the volume The Berlin Wall: tional Studies (UCIS), said, 20 Years Later, published by “Ron is a superb scholar who the U.S. Department of State has a deep understanding of in 2009 to commemorate both Western and Eastern 20 years since the fall of the Europe. He brings wide-rang- Berlin Wall. ing and critically important During his career, Linden experience to this position, has served as a Fulbright including his previous time Research Scholar and a Ful- in UCIS as a very success- bright Distinguished Lecturer Use of Donepezil With an Antidepressant ful director of Russian and Ronald Linden in Yugoslavia, a research Eastern European Studies. scholar at the Kennan Insti- Under Ron’s leadership, our programs and tute for Advanced Russian Studies of the Cuts Incidence of Dementia in Older Adults, activities in European studies and European Woodrow Wilson International Center Union studies will continue to flourish, and for Scholars, a senior fellow at the United we will enhance our position as one of the States Institute of Peace under the Jennings Reynolds-Led Study Finds highest-impact programs Randolph Program on in the world focused on International Peace, By Megan Grote Quattrini this critical region.” A Pitt faculty member since and a guest scholar A Pitt faculty member of the East European Donepezil, a medication used to treat watch for early signs of any depressive since 1977, Linden has 1977, Linden has focused Studies Program of dementia in Alzheimer’s patients, was found relapse and treat as needed. focused his research on the Woodrow Wilson to enhance language, memory, and executive The study was supported in part by Central and Southeast- his research on Central International Center functioning in older, depressed adults to a the National Institutes of Health and by the ern Europe. He served as and Southeastern Europe. for Scholars. greater extent than was evident from the UPMC Endowed Chair in Geriatric Psy- director of the Center for I n 2 0 0 9 - 1 0 , use of an antidepressant medication alone, chiatry. It was also a unique collaboration Russian and East Euro- He served as director of Linden was awarded according to a new study by the University between the National Institute of Mental pean Studies from 1984 a Transatlantic Acad- of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The study, Health-sponsored Late Life Depression to 1989 and again from the Center for Russian emy Fellowship from published in the Archives of General Psy- Center and UPMC’s Alzheimer’s Disease 1991 to 1998. From 1989 the German Marshall chiatry, is the first to provide scientifically Research Center. to 1991, he was director and East European Studies Fund in Washing- rigorous evidence to guide clinical practice of research for Radio Free ton, D.C., where he in older adults with both major depression Europe in Munich, Ger- from 1984 to 1989 and was part of a project and mild cognitive impairment. CORRECTION: In last week’s story about many, where his respon- again from 1991 to 1998. devoted to study- “Cognitive impairment is a core feature BNY Mellon’s $1 million donation to Pitt for programs sibilities included super- ing Turkish foreign of depression in older adults and may fore- administered through the David Berg Center for vision of the publication From 1989 to 1991, he policy. In addition, shadow the development of dementia,” said Ethics and Leadership, the text should have stated of the weekly Report on Linden has received Charles F. Reynolds, lead author of the study that Center benefactor David Berg received his Eastern Europe. was director of research research grants from and UPMC Endowed Chair of Geriatric undergraduate education and first year of legal Linden is the author the National Council Psychiatry. “While treatment of depres- education at Pitt and that he earned his law degree or editor of seven books for Radio Free Europe in for Eurasian and East sion usually benefits associated cognitive from Harvard University. on Central and Eastern European Research impairment, it does not completely regulate Europe, with another Munich, Germany, where and from the Interna- cognitive impairment and may not delay the forthcoming. He has also his responsibilities included tional Research and progression to dementia. So, even in remis- published more than 25 Exchanges Board. sion, older adults with past depression may articles and chapters since supervision of the Linden received still show residual cognitive difficulties, 1979. His most recent pub- his PhD in poli- such as slowing of information processing PittChronicle lications include introduc- publication of the weekly tics from Princeton speed and impairments in executive or lan- Newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh tions for and editing of two University in 1976, guage function. Our study showed that by special issues of Prob- Report on Eastern Europe. his master’s degree adding donepezil, cognition can be improved PUBLISHER Robert Hill lems of Post-Communism, in political science beyond that which is seen simply with the ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER John Harvith “The Meaning of 1989 and from the University of treatment of depression itself.” EXECUTIVE EDITOR Linda K. Schmitmeyer After” (2009) and “The New Populism in Michigan in 1971, and his bachelor’s degree For the study, researchers compared EDITOR Jane-Ellen Robinet Central and Southeast Europe” (2008). He is in government from Boston University in 130 depressed adults older than 65—with ART DIRECTOR Gary A. Cravener the author of “EU Accession and the Role of 1969. 67 of the adults receiving donepezil, mar- STAFF WRITERS Sharon S. Blake keted under the trade name Aricept, and 63 John Fedele receiving a placebo. The participants were Morgan Kelly followed for two years while researchers Amanda Leff Ritchie University of Pittsburgh’s Confucius explored the effects of donepezil and placebo Patricia Lomando White on five areas of neuropsychological func- CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Annabelle Clippinger tioning: speed of information processing, Megan Grote Quattrini memory, language, visuospatial function- HAPPENINGS EDIITOR Baindu Saidu Institute Is an Institute of the Year ing, and executive functioning, or brain processes that are responsible for planning The Pitt Chronicle is published throughout the year by The Chinese Ministry of and abstract thinking. University News and Magazines, University of Pittsburgh, Education’s Office of Chinese Pitt is one of five North American The researchers noted two unexpected 400 Craig Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, Language Council International findings: Donepezil seemed to delay the Phone: 412-624-1033, Fax: 412-624-4895, (Hanban) named the Asian Stud- institutes to receive the honor. progression of mild cognitive impairment to E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.chronicle.pitt.edu ies Center’s Confucius Institute frank dementia, and the use of the drug was (CI-Pitt) at the University of Pittsburgh one This is the second time CI-Pitt has associated with somewhat higher recurrence The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal of 30 Confucius Institutes of the Year during rates of clinical depression episodes, Reyn- opportunity institution that does not discriminate upon any the organization’s annual conference, which been recognized as one of the top olds said. “So, there was both a benefit and basis prohibited by law. was held in Beijing in December. Pitt is one a risk to adding donepezil to antidepressant of five North American institutes to receive Confucius Institutes since it was pharmacotherapy in older adults. Fortu- the honor. This is the second time CI-Pitt has nately, the majority of recurrent depressive been recognized as one of the top Confucius founded in May 2007. episodes could be treated to remission.” About the cover Institutes since it was founded in May 2007. Adding donepezil to maintenance anti- Eternal Reverie by Ben Danforth is part of Pitt’s Studio Arts CI-Pitt was the first Confucius Institute two to 24 Chinese teachers, from three to 57 depressant medication appears to be useful Wyoming Field Study Exhibition, showing through Jan. 28 in Pennsylvania and is the largest Hanban- partner schools, and from 49 to about 2,100 in the care of older, depressed patients with in the Frick Fine Arts Building’s University Art Gallery. The sponsored volunteer teacher program in the students. In the past year alone, participation mild cognitive impairment but does not show’s four contributing artists are to be in the gallery at United States. Since