Alen J. Salerian, MD
Alen J. Salerian, MD held the rank of Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, George Washington University from 1976 until 2001 when Dr. Salerian was promoted to Associate Professorship. The same year Dr. Salerian left GW. Since 2001, Dr. Salerian has been the Medical Director of Washington Center for Psychiatry. Previously, Dr. Salerian was the chief psychiatrist to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and developed the FBI’s mobile psychiatric emergency intervention program. At the FBI, Dr. Salerian had the honor to perform the psychological debriefing of the FBI’s special agents involved with the Waco mission.
Dr. Salerian received his medical degree from the University of Istanbul in 1971 and completed his psychiatric residency at George Washington University Hospital, where he was the chief resident in psychiatry in 1975 and 1976. As the chief resident, Dr. Salerian was awarded the McLaughlin Award given to the best psychiatry resident. Upon the completion of his residency, Dr. Salerian joined the Metropolitan Psychiatric Group and practiced at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington in DC. Between 1980 and 1988, Dr. Salerian was a member of the Board of Directors of Metropolitan Psychiatric Group, and from 1990 until 1999 he was the director of the Adult Services at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington. During his tenure at PIW, he also served as the committee chair of the patient care evaluation committee.
In 2005, Dr. Salerian was given the Distinguished Achievement Award for his contributions to behavioral sciences by the Armenian American Behavioral Science Association at the annual meeting of American Psychological Association. I am also the director of the International Center for EvidenceBased History and the author of numerous articles published in peer-reviewed journals.
In 2004, Dr. Salerian’s letter to the editor was published in the internationally known Lancet journal. This article was of special significance for it challenged the scientific basis of a major British study that questioned the appropriateness of antidepressant treatment for children. Subsequently, Dr. Salerian was honored by being invited to the Food and Drug Administration hearings on suicidality and clinical trials for antidepressant drugs in pediatric patients.
Dr. Salerian’s paper on altering brain temperature may be of value to treat mood disorders was presented at the World Psychiatric Association International Congress in July 2006. At this conference, he was honored to be the section leader of neuroscience and neuroimaging.
“Cooler Biologically Compatible Core Body Temperatures May Prolong Longevity and Combat Neurodegenerative Disorders” was published in Medical Hypotheses in December 2005. “Successful Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction with Dronabinol” was published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry in August 2004. “Sildenafil for Psychotropic-Induced Sexual Dysfunction” was published in the American Journal of Sex and Family in spring 2000. “The TRH Test and Thyroid Hormone in Refractory Depression” was published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 1984. In March 2008, his article on lowering body temperature to combat neurodegenerative disorders will be published in CNS Spectrums, International Journal of Neuropsychiatric Medicine.